Ernie, I'm a newbie to greenhouse gardening, and not all that experienced with veggies yet, so will leave it to the experts ... though, offhand, I would think cool weather crops like lettuces and peas would do well. Also, I would try to find plants that meet the following criteria:

1. not too fussy about growing conditions
2. disease & pest resistant (you'll probably want to keep pesticide applications to a minimum)
3. are generally familiar to and/or liked by the students (are you really going to get "into" growing brussels sprouts if you hate em?)
4. fun to grow - colors, aromas, textures ... uses (like gourds, for example ... which could lead to another whole project)

If there is a strong desire by one or more students to try something particularly challenging, I'd say OK, in a separate area, as long as it doesn't compromise the curriculum or safety of the greenhouse occupants (both plant and human). That emotional connection is such a powerful tool.

I've said a lot more than I intended, but I'm so thrilled to hear about your project and enthused for you and your students ... 11 years on a board of education will do that. Please be sure to document your project and its impact in writing and in pictures. It's a wonderful keepsake, another way to involve the students ... and you just may decide to apply for a grant or submit your project for recognition on a local or county level, or higher. Many County and State School Boards Associations have annual competitions, and I know the National School Boards Association does. There may be an opportunity to exhibit at the State level or higher - a real boost for the students, school and the community as a whole.

Thank you for undertaking this project and I wish you and your students the best of luck and success.

Diane

I set up ran a high school greenhouse until I retired. Have you considered sedums and other succulents? They are very easy to start and quite popular right now. They also provide a high success rate for your students. I have a greenhouse at home and can send you some starts to your school if I have an address. Good luck with your program.
You might enjoy looking at the Landscapes for Learning site at Clemson.

Here is a link that might be useful: Landscapes for Learning

My father ran a program similar to what you are starting in England 40 yrs ago. He had great success in interesting the students and several of them went on to jobs in the field. Students who previously were not expected to work. English daisies (bellis perinis) are very easy to grow from seed and fairly hardy. Your students may enjoy trying them. I too agree that sedums and succulents are popular and were even back then. Potted plants sold to the other students at Mother's Day were a good source of revenue for the program .You may wish to post on the Market Gardeners forum as they have many ideas of things that grow easily. You may also like to check out a website that I think is called freeplants.com. They give many ideas on plants you can start from cuttings etc as I am sure your school board keeps you on a tight budget.I wish you and your students all the very best.
PQ

Hold on to this message until Oct. 2006. I'll be glad to send you a big box of brugmansia cuttings. They are so easy to root and grow. Go to the American Brugmansia and Datura Society site for research. Where are you located; near Cherokee - Maggie Valley?

TSmith, that's a generous offer, a lovely and impressive plant ... but aren't Brugmansia and Datura in the same family? Considering the toxicity, I don't know if this would be a good crop for his student population of behaviorally and emotionally troubled teens. I've never grown them myself, but have heard that people have had bad reactions just from handling them then wiping the sweat from their faces. Then there's the plant's alleged use for its hallucinogenic properties.

When dealing with children and teens, especially in a school setting, we've got to be scrupulously careful about exposure to toxic materials.

I know many plants we grow and love are toxic, and I've just received seeds for Yellow Datura and intend to grow it (bookmarked that ABDS site you mentioned, thanks!), but I get super-cautious where students are concerned.

Diane

Thank you everyone for the suggestions and shared experiences so far. They have been very helpful. Please keep them coming. The students have been amazed that there are interested (and interesting) people out there willing to help them with their project! They are not reading the posts personally, but I am relaying the interest and suggestions on to them, with the exception of the Brugmansia. Sorry TSmith. It is a beautiful plant, and we appreciate the offer, but I agree with Diane that it would not be wise to include a plant with known hallucinogen properties. Many of these kids are sharp and are quite drug savvy, the others know just enough to be a danger to themselves.

Ernie