Academy at Charlemont Green House

Hi! I’m Kayla,

I’m a senior at The Academy at Charlemont.  Every year the seniors at The Academy create projects to benefit the community as well as to expand their personal interests and passions.  I am passionate about the environment, sustainability and local farming. To bring this closer to my community the project I have chosen is the construction of a greenhouse. I have received the approval of the Academy administration to build the greenhouse on Academy property.  With the support of faculty and staff I am able to begin this project soon! Please read on to learn about this project and how you can help me succeed in bringing it to life!

I grew up on a small farm in Ashfield, Massachusetts where I spent much of my free time roaming the fields and woods with my family and friends.  I was surrounded by the beauty of the great outdoors which nourished my love for the natural world. I developed an interest in preserving the environment at a young age, however, it wasn’t until I joined an environmental class in tenth grade that I began to understand the true threat of climate change.  While taking this class my interest in preserving the environment grew, as well as my knowledge of the threats with which we are now presented. I quickly began to make small changes that would help the environment, such as: not using plastic straws and carrying a metal one with me, packing food in glass tupperware, using beeswax container covers, reducing my consumption of meat, being even more attentive to recycling than I was before,  encouraging family and friends to be aware of their actions regarding the environment, carpooling, and educating myself on today’s environmental problems. After over two years of trying to make small changes in my life I still felt that I needed to do more and reach a larger audience. With the support of the Academy at Charlemont I decided to build a community greenhouse at my school.

My interest in building the greenhouse started with my passion for environmental protection, supporting buy local, and sustainable farming. As part of my senior project, in addition to building the greenhouse, I want to take my curiosity and it share with others through educating the community. Part of the education would include a triad of speakers throughout the year that would teach about:

sustainable farming (CSA programs)
everyday ways to help the environment
sustainable architecture

Since I will be  graduating next year the responsibility and oversight of the greenhouse will be taken over by an appointed upperclassman (this has yet to be figured out, but the process will be a fair one).  I will be creating curriculums that incorporate the use of the greenhouse for years to come. The following classes/programs will be included:

Environmental class
Climate Connections class
Biology classes
Food and Gardens council
Sustainability council

In addition to building the greenhouse for educational purposes it will also be used to grow vegetables and herbs for school lunches!  In time I hope it will provide enough produce to sustain a full salad bar. My hope is that the greenhouse will engage The Academy at Charlemont community in increasing  their support of local farms and foods.

I have completed the blueprints for this project and they have been edited by my mentor and soon will be looked at by a local architect.  My mentor, Marc Fromm, father of Leni Sperry-Fromm (‘19), has given me guidance. He has built his own successful greenhouse on his property.  

My grandfather will generously donate his time, garage, and tools to help me complete this project by the end of December of this year.  The greenhouse will be erected after the snow melts in the spring and should be ready to use shortly thereafter!


The Greenhouse Project Details and Timeline


I have created a budget that includes the following:

Lumber (wood, plywood)
Metal brackets
Polycarbonate
Nails/screws
Pallets
Insulation foam
Solar fan
Heater

I will be asking local business owners to donate the following:

Soil
Tools
Seeds
Starter kits
Hoses
Hay
Pots

The school is providing fertilizer and manure through their garden fund.

Please consider donating to this project!  No amount is too small and all donations are appreciated!  If you have any questions or thoughts, please email me at: [email redacted].