ABOVE: Large baskets line the floor of Fairmont High School’s greenhouse. Students have been working on growing the plants for 26 baskets that will hang on Downtown Plaza in Fairmont.

FAIRMONT– Students in the plant science class in Fairmont High School’s ag program have been busy growing plants for 26 baskets that will hang on Downtown Plaza in Fairmont. Anthony Smith of Smith’s Greenhouse is assisting the students and the project is being funded by Project 1590’s Focus on Fairmont committee.

Smith explained that Janzen’s Greenhouse had done the city’s flowers for years before Smith’s took over. Even after Janzen’s closed for retail, they continued to do the city’s flowers until a new idea was brought to the table.

Fairmont High School co-principal, Alex Schmidt, said that Smith reached out, knowing the district was wanting to do more with its greenhouse. After that Schmidt said they had conversations with Project 1590 members and the Fairmont Area Chamber of Commerce.

“We threw around ideas of how can we work together as a school system, 1590 group and the Chamber to start new things and work in collaboration versus all our separate entities,” Schmidt said.

The school has had a goal of partnering more with community groups and businesses but Schmidt said the last two years it’s proven to be rather difficult.

“This is a real, tangible example of working together that people can see. One of my goals is to make more of those connections a reality,” Schmidt said, adding that he wants to make sure that it’s something businesses can benefit from, too.

Another important partner in the project is Project 1590’s Focus on Fairmont committee.

“We’ve been raising money for downtown flowers and banners for a number of years,” said Alex Young-Williams.

He said the Focus on Fairmont committee will send out a letter to local businesses and last year by doing that they raised about $5,000. He said this year they’re looking to include funding for year-round decorations. The city will provide the labor to water all of the plants.

One of the school’s ag teachers, Katie Elder, said that they got some plants in early March, and another set early last month. She said they started on the city baskets right away.

The plant science class, which is made up of 29 students grades 9 through 12, planted the bulbs and have been working on maintaining them by getting rid of pests, checking for diseases and watering them.

“Anthony Smith has really helped with coming in and talking to the kids. He helped us make sure they were in the right place when we transplanted them,” Elder explained.

She said she’d like him to come in and talk about working in a greenhouse as she knows she has students who would be interested in interning at the greenhouse.

No pun intended, Smith said he looks forward to growing the program in the future by filling up the greenhouse and getting more plants around the city.

“It’s a collaboration to beautify the city and get the high school involved,” Smith said.

Elder is excited to see her student’s work on the city plants pay off.

“The kids pretty much everyday since mid-March have been in the greenhouse working on this and now we’re in a groove. I’m excited for them to see what they’ve done, so they can say, ‘I grew that.’ I think that will be the coolest thing to see,” she said.

Not only are the students growing flowers for the city baskets for the first time, but also growing plants for their own plant sale. Elder said this is the second time the ag program has put on a plant sale and that the money raised will go back into the greenhouse fund for next year’s class.

The school’s plant sale will kick off this Saturday. Elder will be at the school’s greenhouse, located behind the school by the vocational wing near door 25. Hours are Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon and everyday after school moving forward until 4:30 p.m.

Plants are $4 a pot of $4 for a four-pack. Hanging baskets are $25.