Girl Scouts build greenhouses for Progress Elementary School

Heavy, dark blue rain clouds provided the backdrop when a group of Spokane Valley Girl Scouts began construction of two greenhouses Monday afternoon.

The greenhouses are being built on a strip of land provided by Veradale United Church of Christ, which is across the street from Progress Elementary School.

“Either they go to school there or they did go to school there,” said Trish Abraham, who leads Troop 3674.

The greenhouse project will count toward the Girl Scouts’ Bronze Award, which honors groups who complete projects that benefit the community.

On Monday, 12 Girl Scouts leveled the construction site using shovels and rakes, then hauled bags of sand and large paving stones into place.

Employees from Lowe’s Home Improvement on East Sprague Avenue picked the Girl Scouts’ greenhouses as their local Lowe’s Heroes project, and they were there to help out.

Abraham said that made it possible to complete the project in three short days.

“We plan on putting in five hours each afternoon and we should be done on Wednesday,” Abraham said.

The finished project includes two greenhouses, with a work area between them, and a raised bed for pumpkins. Students from Progress will use the greenhouses for class projects and to grow vegetables.

Abraham explained that the troop wanted to do a project that would teach other children skills, provide food and be an after-school program.

Progress Elementary Principal Matthew Chisholm stopped by to check on the project, and he was impressed by how quickly the two greenhouses would be ready.

Abraham said the troop may decide to use the greenhouse project as a foundation for a Silver Award project next year.

“They would build a curriculum around the greenhouses with teachers at Progress Elementary,” Abraham said, “and also make a cookbook.”