Life will be a little “greener” for students returning to Brandywine Elementary School in the fall.

Over the past several months, students and staff have been working on building a greenhouse in one of the courtyards at the third- through sixth-grade building.

Teachers Brad Light and Shar Everett used their own money, grants and donations from local businesses to fund the project at the approval of former Principal Tim Bagby.

Everett and Light purchased a used greenhouse online, deconstructed it, transported it to Brandywine and reconstructed it there with the help of several sixth-grade students.

Dayton Dopkowski, a sixth-grader, said he enjoyed helping create the greenhouse, even though he won’t get to use it because he is moving up to the middle/senior high school in the fall.

“I liked having a feature that would let us grow things for the school,” he said. “And I like knowing that kids in the future can use the greenhouse.”

Light, who teaches earth/science, said students will now have the opportunity to grow things like flowers, vegetables and other produce.

“It is all about hands-on learning,” he said.

Everett hopes that things grown in the greenhouse can be shared with the entire school.

“It’s a community thing,” she said.

The greenhouse will allow students to grow plants year round because it will be heated and ventilated using electric power.

“We are hoping to inspire kids at this level so that maybe down the line they can get a greenhouse at the high school and continue on the process there,” Light said.