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LINCOLN, Mich. — Alcona Schools is currently constructing an educational hoop house. It’s used to extend the growing season for plants and vegetables.

A hoop house is different than a greenhouse because it’s not heated. The only energy going into it is coming directly from the sun. Even though it’s not complete yet, Agriscience Teacher Connor Hubbard said it’s already benefiting the students in his class. “It starts off with a few different benefits,” he said. “Obviously, the first thing is, for my advanced agriscience students, they’ve got a lot of experience in actually constructing and putting up a hoop house. That will translate to future skills.”

Once it’s finished, the hoop house will have other uses as well. Hubbard says they plan to put in an aqua culture tank. “We can talk about nutrients and the nutrients cycles—along those lines. There’s a lot of hands-on science education that can take place, both in the realm of high school as well as our elementary school.”

The first goal is to complete construction, and the second is deciding exactly what goes inside.