A unique collaboration of schools, community partners and parents, and scouts has succeeded in bringing a new greenhouse installation to John Winthrop Middle School and with it a new hands-on learning experience for students.

The greenhouse was dedicated recently at an event called Rooting for Kids and sponsored by Seeds 4 Growth, a committee of parent volunteers dedicated to improving school nutrition and sustainability within the Region 4 school district and community.

"This is a special day for us as a school and a community," Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruth Levy said.

The greenhouse will become a part of the learning experience for students.

Seeds 4 Growth partnered with the Essex Garden Club and Boy Scout Gabe Bacewicz to bring the greenhouse to John Winthrop. The Essex Garden Club, with its Youth Activities Chair Susan Senning, donated the funds for the greenhouse; an appropriate site had to be found. Once the John Winthrop site was selected, Board of Education approval was needed.

"It took some time to pull this all together," Kirsten Carbone, a co-founder of Seeds 4 Growth, explained.

Then Bacewicz, an Eagle Scout candidate, joined the effort. He organized a team of Boy Scouts from throughout Region 4 to join with Senning and Seeds 4 Growth Co-chair Jennifer Zambuni to raise the greenhouse.

The Rockfall Foundation, which provides funding for environmental initiatives, provided funds for greenhouse equipment, such as raised beds, planting, and shelving.

Raised beds alongside the greenhouse are already planted this season with tomatoes, eggplant, green beans, herbs, strawberries, peppers, and lettuces. Senning anticipates high school volunteers will maintain the beds over the summer months and that classes from Valley Regional High School will incorporate some of the produce into the fall curriculum.

The Rooting for Kids ribbon-cutting event was also a fundraiser for Seeds 4 Growth. It featured kid-friendly activities including an interactive play by Treehouse Players, seed planting in recycled milk containers, and clay leaf-pressing at a crafts booth. Local chef Drew McLachlan served up burgers from Four Mile River Farm in Old Lyme and his own house-made ketchup and sweet pickles. Acer Gardens of Deep River provided vegetables plants for purchase.