With the exception of a handful of ducks that took up seasonal residence in the pond outside, Dowagiac Union High School’s small greenhouse had seen little life inside its confines for several years.

While the birds have since moved on, judging by the tiny sprigs of lettuce greens growing inside a small patch of soil on the ground and the tiny white and red petals blossoming inside the hanging planters sitting on the table, it appears the “green” has returned to the greenhouse.

More importantly, though, are the opportunities the structure is providing to the students who have taken up the task of maintaining it.

Over the past few months, several members of the school staff and the Dowagiac Town & Country Garden Club have worked together with a group of students to establish a new afterschool greenhouse club. Meeting at least once a week, its members have been hard at work the last several weeks, cleaning up the old structure while planting seeds for several crops.

The greenhouse, located on the west end of the high school, was originally built 15 years ago for the district’s FFA program. When the program dissolved around 10 years ago, the greenhouse and the fish pond built outside were also decommissioned, though instructor Dan VandenHeede occasionally used the grounds for his classes, he said.

“Some students came up to me and asked if we could use the greenhouse again this year,” VandenHeede said. “I didn’t have a class for it this year, so we decided to start an afterschool program instead.”

In order to sustain the club’s activities, the members decided to sell flats and baskets of the crops they plan to grow during sports games, fine arts events and other school functions, VandenHeede said. To help the organization get off the ground, though, the instructor applied for a grant from the Dowagiac Schools Foundation, who donated $500 for them to purchase seedlings, fertilizer and materials for them to get started with.

“They gave us our literal seed money,” VandenHeede said. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to recoup those costs and start generating some revenue.”

Sixteen students signed up for the club back in January. The members, assisted by VandenHeede and members of the local gardening club, have spent the past month planting lettuce, peppers and tomatoes seeds, which are already beginning to sprout.

“When our plants started coming up, the kids acted like it was Christmas morning,” said Dee Herman, a computer technician with the school district and a member of the Town and Country Club. “They can’t wait to get to the pond next.”

This week, the group members have been planting hanging flower baskets, in hopes of having them ready for sale by Mother’s Day.

The students attending the weekly meetings have differencing levels of experience in gardening. Junior Jordan McMillian never really had a green thumb outside of school projects, but relished the opportunity to join the new club, she said.

“It’s nice and relaxing,” McMillian said. “You get to go outside and get your hands dirty.”