Addelita Cancryn Jr. High School Principal Dr. Lisa Forde (center in green), students and teachers on Day 1 of construction of the school's new Outdoor Hydrologic Environmental Learning Center on Feb. 25, 2017.
The Addelita Cancryn Junior High School began construction of its state-of-the-art Outdoor Hydrologic Environmental Learning Center on Saturday, February 25, thanks to a grant from UVI’s Cooperative Extension Services in partnership with IGY Marinas, the parent company of Yacht Haven Grande.
The facility, located on the south lawn of the school, will consist of five greenhouses, a community garden, a composting station, planting boxes and a seeding station when completed. A colorful mural, painted by students, wall also adorn the wall facing the facility.
Cancryn Principal Dr. Lisa Forde said the grant application process had been in the works for over a year. “I am elated that the community has come together in support of our school and our students,” she said. “Now that the project is underway, it will allow us to fulfill our designation as a farm-to-table school, where produce grown in the garden will be used in the cafeteria.”
About 100 Cancryn students, parents and teachers, along with UVI students and volunteers from Yacht Haven Grande assembled at the school on Saturday morning to begin work on the project. Organized work groups assisted with various aspects of the construction, including constructing the planting boxes, clearing debris, painting, transporting materials, and other tasks.
In addition to UVI and IGY Marinas, other community partners instrumental to the success of the project include My Brother’s Workshop, deSigns and rotary.
The construction of the Hydrologic Environmental Learning Center is expected to be completed within three years. It is in line with Education Commissioner Dr. Sharon Ann McCollum’s push for public-private partnerships in support of public education.
