The Whitefish Community Foundation has awarded the Whitefish School District a $25,000 Major Community Project Grant for the district’s cutting-edge Center for Sustainability and Entrepreneurship.

Students, teachers and members of the foundation gathered Friday for a grant ceremony in front of Whitefish High School near the construction site for the sustainability center.

“We are honored to be a part of this project and to support it,” Community Foundation president Linda Engh-Grady said. “It’s an amazing project that would not be possible if we did not have a tremendous private support involved. The Center for Sustainability and Entrepreneurship will be redefining our classrooms for the entire school district.”

Private funding of $2.35 million has already secured through the Whitefish Community Foundation for the center.

School district Superintendent Heather Davis Schmidt thanked the community for its support of the project.

“What an incredible honor for us to receive this donation, in addition to all of the other philanthropic support that we received with this project,” Davis Schmidt said. “Thank you for turning this vision into a reality and leaving this legacy for Whitefish schools and the Whitefish community.”

The idea evolved from the existing Farm to School garden and the need for a greenhouse. The Whitefish Lions Club, in collaboration with school district Food Services Director, Jay Stagg, started the garden to teach students how to grow food to serve in the school cafeteria. FREEFLOW club students also worked with local philanthropist Richard Atkinson through the “Older Man Walking” campaign to raise the initial $70,000 in funding.

Early designs featured a greenhouse attached to a small classroom, but it has since grown in size and expanded into a K-12 project.

Students in all grades will utilize the class spaces to learn about sustainability and sustainable practices in different career fields. Classes in the center will plant the seeds for future paths of learning, noted Ryder Delaloye, the district’s Director of Curriculum.

“When they engage with sustainable agriculture, forestry or energy systems, they’re going to be developing future pathways that will lead them into proficiency in their future career or college experience,” he said.

The total cost for the facility, landscaping and start-up maintenance comes to $2.65 million. The center is planned to open in April 2018.

For more information about the Whitefish Community Foundation visit www.whitefishcommunityfoundation.org or call 406-863- 1781. The Whitefish Community Foundation is dedicated to fostering philanthropy, building endowments, and helping donors and nonprofits benefit the community.