LCC Ribbon Cutting Held for Learning Garden Dedication

 

Dr. Lujan with Frickie and Cermak at Garden Ribbon Cutting

 

The new Learning Garden, set on the open campus of Lamar Community College, just west of the Betz Technology Center, was dedicated Thursday, September 20th, with an official ribbon cutting and presentation of two ag education-oriented scholarships to LCC students.

Greg Cash Address Audience

Dr. Linda Lujan, LCC President, introduced guests, Jim Fricke, Executive Director of the Colorado Garden Foundation and Adam Cermak, Executive Director of the Foundation for Colorado Community Colleges.

Kylie Miller Received Grant Scholarship

Fricke explained that scholarship funds and grants are derived from proceeds from the annual Colorado Garden and Home Show held in Denver. “Last year we donated $704,000 to agricultural pursuits and those funds are also being used for the first time this year to benefit two LCC students in their agricultural based courses.”  The students, Tom Torres of Lamar and Kylie Miller of Las Animas, each received $5,000 in scholarship funding.  Cermak echoed Fricke’s remarks, noting the tremendous need for agricultural educators around the state.

Dr. Lujan noted that there were three colleges in southeast Colorado that were eligible for two scholarships and Lamar Community College received both. The college has also been qualified for the first round of next year’s scholarships.

Torres Receiving Scholarship Grant

Greg Cash, LCC Ag Instructor, noted the garden was created through grant funding and the work of students and teachers from the Ag, Construction Trades and Renewable Energy programs at the college.

“This garden will become a spot where students can congregate during pleasant weather or even hold some of their meetings here,” he added it’s also a teaching area where students can work on soil samples, cover crops or fertilizer testing. Tomatoes and peppers have been planted in some of the surrounding garden boxes and Cash said wheat will be planted once the weather cools all part of a plan to educate students where their food actually comes from.  “We’re completing a sidewalk across this campus area which one day we plan to have lined with apple and pear trees, where a student can just reach up and gather a healthy, local snack between classrooms.”

By Russ Baldwin

 

Filed Under: AgricultureCity of LamarCollegeConsumer IssuesEventsFeaturedSchoolYouth

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