In January, Ferndale High School’s new CTE Wing will finally open, providing a state-of-the-art space for many programs such as welding, wood shop, video production, and more. But two of our CTE programs already have new spaces that have enriched students’ experiences. 

Construction crews finished building the agriculture science building and horticulture greenhouse in the northeast corner of campus this spring. Students in those programs are already fully reaping the benefits of their new learning environments. 

“We’re really excited for the future of this program,” said Tony Torretta, who’s taught agriculture science at FHS for 24 years. “I moved here because this is one of the best CTE programs in the state, and we just made the best even better.” 

The new agriculture science building consists of one large classroom, with plenty of natural light and extra space for hands-on projects such as building wreaths. It’s located at the end of a gravel driveway, so trucks can easily pull in and drop off plants and animals for students to work with. 

“There’s more room in here, and it’s more organized,” said Vanessa In-Kheo, a sophomore in Torretta’s agriculture science class. “We’re also doing more outdoor activities now.” 

The north side of the building features a covered veterinary space, where students will be able to safely work with live animals. The outdoor area can be fenced in to prevent animals from escaping, and there are biosecurity measures such as a handwashing station and a single point of entry/exit to prevent spreading disease. 

The south side of the building is the “clean bay” space, where students can hold outdoor meetings or grow plants. 

Near the agriculture science building is the new greenhouse. It’s about the same size as FHS’ previous greenhouse, but better suited for horticulture classes. The new lexan (transparent walls and ceiling) lets in more natural light, while the previous building was much shadier. 

“It definitely feels fresher and brighter in here,” said Kristine Anderson, who’s taught horticulture for 13 years at FHS. 

The new greenhouse also has more handwashing sinks, more water wants, and one hose per table. In the old greenhouse, there were only a few hoses available, so students had to stretch them across the building, creating tripping hazards and delaying projects as students waited to water their plants. 

Melissa Kudsk, a senior in Anderson’s horticulture class, said she loves experimenting in the new greenhouse. 

“Not everybody has the opportunity to grow plants at home, so this gives those people a chance to learn how horticulture works,” she said. 

Anderson said this commercial-grade greenhouse will help prepare Ferndale students for future careers working with plants. 

The third building in this set, the aquaculture lab, is not quite ready for students, as some equipment has still not arrived yet. But when the lab is fully ready, it will be an incredible learning space for students. 

“We’ll have the latest and greatest filters and technology so we’ll be able to grow more fish, quicker, and in less space,” said aquaculture teacher Nicole Perry. “It will really make the learning meaningful for kids.” 

Not only will the new lab be more efficient, but it will also be much less noisy than FHS’ old aquaculture lab, Perry said. 

“We couldn’t really teach in there,” she said. “If you wanted to have a conversation, you had to step outside.” 

Our CTE teachers expressed gratitude for Ferndale voters, who approved the 2019 bond that funded the construction of these new classrooms. 

“It’s been an amazing and incredible adventure to watch the campus change, and that investment is already paying forward,” said Torretta. “We’re seeing that in students’ smiles.”