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Photos by Jessica DiNapoli
Students in environmental design classes at the Bridgehampton High School are one step closer to building a greenhouse and growing food for their classmates year-round.
Judiann Carmack-Fayyaz, the environmental design teacher at the school, said Tuesday that she’s been awarded a grant for $9,000 from National Grid to build the greenhouse on the grounds of the school.
Students taking Ms. Carmack-Fayyaz’s introduction to environmental design class have been working on designing the greenhouse, among other projects, on Google Sketch. Jack Janson, a sophomore at the school, has been figuring out the placement for the greenhouse and will work on the design for the structure in the coming weeks.
“The architectural and structural details for the greenhouse still need to be worked out,” Jack said.
He added that, although history is his favorite subject, the introduction to environmental design class is a fun diversion during the day. The environmental design course is part of the district’s Environmental Design Career Academy, one of only three on Long Island, explained District Superintendent Diane Youngblood. The academy focuses on combining vocational training and core academic subjects.
“It lets students know they can bring skills on to higher education,” Ms. Carmack-Fayyaz said.
Jack explained that if someone ever needs help with landscaping for their home, he now has the skills to assist them. He added that Ms. Carmack-Fayyaz’s class is the first design class he has taken, but he wants to take more as he moves through high school.
Ms. Carmack-Fayyaz said that the design for the interior of the greenhouse will be selected from entries by her students entered into a Environmental Design academy-wide competition. There are not many design elements for the exterior of the greenhouse, so students will not have much input there, she explained. The placement of the structure will be dictated by the location of the district’s cesspools, basketball courts, and accessory structures to the main school building, she said.
Ms. Carmack-Fayyaz said that she initially applied for a $25,000 grant, and she was disappointed about not receiving the full amount from National Grid.
“But, we’re $9,000 closer to our goal, so we just have to do a bit more fund-raising,” she said.
The grant will allow the gardening program at the high school, called ‘The Edible Schoolyard,’ to exist year-round, Dr. Youngblood explained. The gardening program has been in place since last year.
Ms. Carmack-Fayyaz said that she hopes one day the school cafeteria can get the majority of their food supplies from the garden. She noted that earlier this year some students harvested basil and made pesto during their lunch period.
“The cafe staff also uses the herbs and produce for meals,” Ms. Carmack-Fayyaz said, adding that the culinary class at the Bridgehampton High School uses produce from the schoolyard, as well.
Dr. Youngblood said that the school has also received a $1,500 donation from the East End Chapter of Slow Food, a movement that emphasizes eating food that is healthy and home-grown, to be used for the greenhouse project.
Ms. Carmack-Fayyaz said that she will be setting up a foundation for the fund-raising efforts, and explained that she met with Dr. Youngblood and the school’s business manager about doing so on Wednesday.
If Ms. Carmack-Fayyaz cannot raise the approximately $15,000 to reach her goal of $25,000, she will consider using different, less expensive building materials.
“There are several different alternatives,” Ms. Carmack-Fayyaz said, explaining that she would like to see the greenhouse made of polycarbonates, but is also considering using a cheaper, double-ply plastic like the kind used at the Springs School’s greenhouse.
Ms. Carmack-Fayyaz said that she is hoping that local businesses will consider donating their services to help build the greenhouse. For example, she is looking for someone to install an irrigation system to provide water to the plants in the greenhouse.
Ana Rosa Vallejo, a senior, also completed a potential design for the greenhouse. She said it took her about one month to do.
“I put in windows to save money on electric,” Ana Rosa said, explaining that the windows will bring natural light into the building.
Ana Rosa is planning on majoring in culinary arts in college, but said that her work with Ms. Carmack-Fayyaz ties into her cooking aspirations.
“Design adds onto it, because I can design my own garden, plant plants, and then cook with them,” she said.
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