COEUR d'ALENE — Future botanists, horticulturists, florists and plant biologists at Ramsey Magnet School of Science have a new space for their curious imaginations to run as wild as glacier lilies.

The school celebrated the grand opening of its new greenhouse Wednesday, an event attended by community members and businesspeople who contributed their time, talents and treasures to help the project become a reality after two years in the making.

"This is literally a dream," said Baylee Sochovka, a Woodland Middle School sixth grader who was part of the greenhouse development team when she was a fourth and fifth grader at Ramsey.

"Just two years ago, we were dreaming of having a greenhouse, then two years later this happened," she said. "It's really, really cool."

Baylee's good friend since kindergarten, Canfield Middle School sixth-grader Oakleigh Wagner, was also part of the initial Ramsey student team when the seed of the greenhouse idea was planted.

"I really cared about it because I was a part of it and I was able to see it come together," she said as they checked out the inside of the new space.

Their former Ramsey classmate, Lilli Alderman, who is also now at Canfield, said the greenhouse made her feel proud.

"We helped make it happen," she said.

The greenhouse will allow Ramsey's young scientists to explore life sciences throughout the year, even during cold Idaho winters.

"We conceived the idea of a greenhouse that would accommodate a class of 30 students, enabling them to grow, learn about and cultivate various types of plants — and get a little dirty too!" said fourth grade teacher Mandi Ferguson, who was a lead on the project. 

The fruits and vegetables raised in the greenhouse will be harvested for seeds to continue the growing process as well as used to feed hungry families and students, she said.

Vice Principal Austin Hoyer thanked the Ramsey PTO for initiating the funding process.

"This wouldn't have even gotten started without the Ramsey PTO raising over $30,000 for this project," he said. 

Other contributors: Members of the Coeur Group spent countless hours building the greenhouse; Lowe's donated over $20,000 in materials and supplies; the NVIDIA Foundation and Mike Beiter donated over $12,000; HMH Engineering donated time and helped pay for concrete; Interstate Concrete split the concrete bill with HMH; Northwest Specialty Hospital donated over $2,000 for heaters; Coeur d'Alene Garden Club donated $1,500 and an abundance of seeds; Honeydew Handyman paid for labor and provided equipment and tools; and several more.

"This project is far more than just a building and garden beds," Hoyer said. "It's a shining example of what can happen when a community comes together with a shared vision."

    Ramsey Magnet School of Science mom Molly Retzlaff, right, and Aram Eramian, both of the U.S. Forest Service Coeur d'Alene Nursery, inspect the school's new greenhouse Wednesday during its grand opening. The Forest Service donated over 800 pounds of dirt that will be used in outside garden beds.
  

    During a grand opening celebration Wednesday afternoon, Ramsey Magnet School teacher Mandi Ferguson thanks members of the Coeur Group for the hundreds of hours they spent building the new greenhouse. From left: Ferguson, Nick Madsen, Jeremy Sells, Josh Sattler, Justin Schorzman, Shane Greenfield, Marcus Mitzel and Jack Reiswig.