Visitors to the GHS campus may notice a shiny new solar panel gracing the roof of the little red shed in the campus garden. What they may not know, however, is that we can thank two students, freshman Seamus and sophomore Mohammed, for the impressive capital improvement.
“This will last for about 20 years, we think, really last a long time,” said Seamus. “So it isn't just our class that will be able to get use out of it, but lots of other classes, for a long time. It’s pretty cool to think about.”
The energy from the solar panel primarily powers the pump in the garden’s split-level pond, circulating the water to keep the habitat healthy for the plants and sometimes small animals that call the pond home, as well as keeping a small waterfall effect going. All Gardening and Horticulture students pick a final project that will improve the garden in some way as their capstone for the class, and the solar panel replacement immediately appealed to Seamus and Mohammed.
“It seemed like the most interesting choice because it was the most hands-on, and because it involved using power tools,” said Mohammed.
“One of the goals of Gardening and Horticulture class is to give the students the opportunity to learn trade skills they are not exposed to in academic classes,” said Justin Berthiaume, who teaches the Gardening class as well as Environmental Sciences. “Seamus and Mohammed had to solve a real-world problem of installing a solar panel correctly. They had to measure, cut, drill, climb, calculate, carry, wire, and troubleshoot – transferable skills that they will carry with them throughout their lives.”
Because of the excellent quality of their project and overall commitment to the garden, both students have been granted internships in the garden for the rest of the school year, working on other special projects to improve the space. For Mohammed, who is interested in industrial engineering, and Seamus, who plans to study agricultural science in college and be a part of his family’s ranching enterprise, it’s a great opportunity to continue mastering practical skills and getting their hands dirty.
“I would recommend (getting involved with the garden) to anyone at Gateway,” said Mohammed. “You get to use your hands, your common sense, it’s just a nice difference from other classes.”