Bangor High School students in the Career and Technical Education program are helping build a greenhouse that will give students in the William S. Cohen School’s Aspirations Program new opportunities to grow fresh produce and develop everyday living skills.

Second-year CTE students will spend this semester finishing the greenhouse project at Cohen, connecting their hands-on building experience with a project that will support learning at another school.

For the Aspirations Program, the greenhouse will become an extension of its daily cooking activities. The program focuses on helping students develop independence, confidence and practical skills through hands-on experiences in meal preparation, kitchen safety and teamwork.

Once the greenhouse is ready, students will have the opportunity to follow the growing process from start to finish: planting vegetables, caring for them, harvesting produce and using what they grow in their daily cooking activities. Those experiences will connect gardening and nutrition with lessons in responsibility and independent living.

The greenhouse will also complement the program’s emphasis on friendship and community. Through its Best Buddies Program, students have opportunities to build friendships, strengthen social skills and learn from one another.

Together, cooking, gardening and friendship-building activities are intended to help students grow both in their practical abilities and in their communication and relationships.

As the second-year CTE students work toward completing the greenhouse this semester, their efforts will help create a space where Cohen students can learn new skills, build confidence and see the results of their care and responsibility—from the first seeds planted to the meals they prepare.