CHENEY – Students at Three Springs high school gave a presentation on the beekeeping club at the Cheney school board meeting.
Jayce VanD Elzen and Dylan Moree wore beekeeping suits which will be used in the process of tending to the hives which are now located at the Three Springs facility.
Last spring, science teacher Drake Haren applied for and received a grant through the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, and with it was able to buy the enclosure supplies and other materials needed to begin the program.
“We have plans to start the bee keeping club sometime in March or April, and it will be an extracurricular club that we will make time for during the regular school day.” Jesse Hannum, career tech education teacher, said.
Each student will go through an introductory class that will cover safety measures, biology of the bees, and other details that prepare them for actually handling bees.
“Once a week, for example, we will all go out and open up the hives and perform general maintenance. Things like assessing the health of the queen and the hive in general.” Hannum said.
“In the beginning the students will be observers to that process until they are comfortable, then they can slowly start performing tasks themselves.” Hannum said.
Eventually, the school wants to see the students market and sell the honey that they have helped to produce.
“We may have them sell it through our Deca store framework, or just directly to the community. This will help put funds back into the school.”
Hannum says that the club will help build a sense of community at the school and between the students. “Any time kids spend this much time together doing a common activity, there will be opportunities for growth.” Hannum said.
Hannum also said that enabling the students to learn some marketing and selling skills through experience is important as well.
“They learn biology and ecology and potentially open up interests that they may expand on in the future.”
Lucas is a former Cheney Free Press managing editor. He is a nationally published author who contributes regularly to several publications across the country.
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