Special Feature: School Bus Greenhouse

Dr. Marvin A. Lowe, III, Director of Career & Technology Education, Bullock County

Dr. Gary Maddux, Principal Director, UAH Systems Management and Production

Bullock County Schools is using creativity in effectively bringing to life the phrase, “rolling classroom”. Through a collaborative partnership with the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), Bullock County Schools repurposed a school bus to create a greenhouse, a School Bus Greenhouse. In early 2020, Dr. Christopher Blair, Superintendent of Schools, Bullock County Schools, shared a vision of STEM activities with Dr. Gary Maddux, Principal Director, UAH Systems Management and Production (SMAP) Center, while discussing longterm strategies to meet the economic challenges of the Black Belt Region. Understanding that a successful STEM project should address the current economy of Bullock County, namely agriculture, along with emerging regional growth industries, such as solar power, Dr. Blair and UAH hoped to develop a project that merged the present with the future. Immediately, Dr. Maddux and his SMAP Center team provided a resolution to Dr. Blair’s vision, resulting in a collaborative partnership with Dr. Marvin A. Lowe, Director of Career and Technical Education, Bullock County Schools, thus establishing the system’s first rolling STEM Classroom.

Months of collaboration were invested in the School Bus Greenhouse project.

During the worst months of the COVID-19 pandemic and while Bullock County schools were operating remotely, Dr. Lowe, Dr. Maddux, and personnel from both organizations collaborated weekly, via Zoom, in planning the School Bus Greenhouse. The UAH collaborative team consisted of Norven Goddard, Research Engineer, Ishella Fogle, Research Associate, both of the UAH SMAP Center, along with Matthew Harrison, Laurel Fogle, and Marco Garcia, undergraduates attending UAH who also work as Research Assistants at the UAH SMAP Center. Dr. Lowe’s collaborative team was Victoria Warmack, Welding Instructor, Bullock County High School, Ernest Hughley, Ag- Science Instructor, Bullock County High School, Anwar Walker, STEM Instructor, South Highlands Middle School and Germaine Edwards, Owner of G & G Auto Body and Recovery in Union Springs, Alabama.

Phase I

Removal of seats and part of roof of school bus.

Phase I of the project required the removal of seats and a portion of the roof on the school bus. Ms. Warmack, Mr. Hughley, and their students assisted in this phase of the project. Although Bullock County schools were operating remotely due to the high spread of COVID-19, students in Ms. Warmack’s and Mr. Hughley’s classrooms were very interested in the project. To complete this phase, several specialized tools were needed for the project and Dr. Maddux and his team quickly ordered the additional equipment. Students also helped to remove student seats, a portion of the roof, the reflective stickers from the sides of the bus, and prime the bus in preparation for the new green exterior paint. Most importantly, students learned how to operate the new specialized tools in completing this project.

Phase II

Measurements being taken for the irrigation system and solar panels.

Phase II provided opportunities for Anwar Walker, STEM 8th Grade Teacher, South Highlands Middle School and Ms. Warmack to collaborate on measurements for the irrigation system and requirements for the solar panels. This was possibly one of the easiest phases to complete.

Modifications are being made to the school bus.

Modifications are being made to the school bus.

Phase III

The school bus receives a coat of green paint.

Phase III consisted of Mr. Walker, Ms. Warmack, and Germaine Edwards collaborating and coordinating schedules to paint the bus. This phase was extremely challenging as it was a timeconsuming process in taping the bus. Again, none of the items needed for this phase of the project were on hand and the UAH SMAP Center quickly processed the orders and shipped needed materials to Bullock County for this project.

The school bus is being painted green.

Phase IV

Technical systems are installed on the school bus.

Phase IV, Mr. Walker and his students, began installation of the irrigation system and solar panels. During this phase, undergraduate students from UAH travelled to Union Springs, Alabama and helped complete installation of the technical systems on the bus. This was challenging for the students as they made two separate trips to Union Springs to install the electrical equipment and solar panels.

Phase V

The bus is almost complete

Phase V of the STEM project allowed Dr. Lowe to collaborate with Bonnie Plants, which is headquartered in Union Springs, Alabama, in sponsoring soil, seeds, and other vegetated plants for students to explore. This new partnership with Bonnie Plants will further allow professional technicians to regularly collaborate and share knowledge with Bullock County faculty to support STEM activities. The collaboration between Bullock County Schools and Bonnie Plants will allow students attending Union Springs Elementary School the opportunity to grow and learn about specific plants. A school garden is also being constructed for this STEM project touching all students.

Sharing the success of the school bus greenhouse project.

Lastly, Dr. Lowe shared success from this collaborative project, via Zoom, with Dr. Melvin A. Lowe, III, Director of Career and Technical Education, Macon County Schools and Mrs. Shameka Baker, Principal, Lowndes County Career Technical Center, Lowndes County Schools. The overarching goal is for each school system to develop unique STEM projects that address emerging processes and technologies. The UAH SMAP Center has volunteered to assist as many school systems as possible in developing new projects and encouraging that newly implemented STEM projects are shared among the school systems.