LA CROSSE, Wis., (May 4, 2023) – Students at Northside Elementary/Coulee Montessori continue to use their green thumbs, creativity, and business savvy as they work to add a new greenhouse to their school. Students have worked all year planting, propagating, and caring for over 1,600 plants and getting them ready for the school’s second annual community plant sale.
“There is currently a food desert on the north side of La Crosse, particularly surrounding our school. That means there is not a grocery store within two miles of this neighborhood, making food shopping difficult for our families who don’t have access to a vehicle,” said Coulee Montessori teacher Mariah Bigelow. “While our school pantry does help supplement the needs of some of our families, the food we can send home is often canned or boxed. A school greenhouse will allow our students to grow and access fresh, healthy foods while giving them a greater knowledge of gardening practices all inside of a living classroom.”
The lessons leading up to the plant sale give students scientific insight into how particular plants have different light, water, and space needs. Students will also build life-long skills of self-sufficiency, discover the amount of hard work it takes to be an entrepreneur, and learn about supply and demand, operating expenses, and profit. Students will gain a sense of belonging to a community by using their individual strengths to contribute to the many different aspects of the project and build pride by putting in long, hard work to do something for the benefit of all the students at their school.
The second annual Northside Elementary/Coulee Montessori Plant Sale will be held on Friday, May 19, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, May 20, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Northside Elementary School located at 1611 Kane Street in La Crosse. Customers will find a wide selection of house plants, vegetable starters, student-made fertilizers, artwork, pot decorations, and macrame plant hangers. All proceeds from the sale benefit the school’s greenhouse project.
