SACO — At a presentation at Saco Middle School Wednesday night, science teacher David Shaw showed a slide of robust lettuce growing in the school’s greenhouse.
The picture was taken last February or March, he said, and in the winter on a sunny day, it can get up to a balmy 80 degrees in the greenhouse.
The greenhouse, located in back of the school, utilizes solar heat, with a propane back up. Shaw said he plans to have solar electricity installed in the future.
Shaw’s presentation was part of an open house for the greenhouse, which was completed in the summer of 2012.
There are idea people, and then there are those, like Shaw, who make things happen, said Principal Laurie Wood.
“David has created an incredible, lasting legacy,” she said.
Superintendent of Schools Patrick Phillips said he was happy the school district had innovators like Shaw who work to make education more exciting.
Shaw said when he first began to try to get funding for the project four years ago, it was slow going, due to the economy. He said he received many words of encouragement, but no money.
“I’ve heard ”˜no’ a lot of times; it really didn’t stop me,” he said.
Shaw persevered, and eventually not only received financial donations, but in-kind donations such as the work of a contractor who put in a concrete slab foundation, and another one who assembled the structure.
Many heroes came out of the woodwork, said Shaw, and he received “a pretty amazing response.”
Last school year, students in the school’s ecology club grew lettuce, which was used in the school cafeteria. Shaw received a donation of a couple of grow lights to extend the hours of light needed to grow tomatoes. He said he and the students are going to conduct an experiment, with a batch of tomato plants under the grow lights and another one without the lights. If they can prove the lights helped the tomato plants grow, the donor will give them another light, said Shaw.
— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.
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