March 27, 2026
By CORY ANN MICHEL
Rutherford County Schools
Riverdale students in the agriculture program now have access to a new, much larger greenhouse to hone their skills.
On Friday March 27, the school held a ribbon cutting for its new 2,700-square-foot greenhouse.
Planning for this project began in 2018 but the final product was a combined effort of current and former RHS agriculture teachers. They were led by both a shared vision and Principal Tamera Blair, who played a key role in spearheading the greenhouse’s implementation.
Students were equally excited about the vision and implementation of the new space.
“It gives us a place to learn by doing,” says 11th grade student and secretary of FFA, Ava Keith.
Riverdale was one of the first schools in Tennessee to have a greenhouse with its first built in 1975, which is still operational. The original greenhouse was followed by two additional greenhouses built in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s.
The new greenhouse is 30 feet wide by 90 feet long, offering almost five times the amount of working space the school had before this project was completed.
“This investment aligns with Riverdale’s emphasis on experiential learning, offering meaningful agricultural opportunities for students who may not have access to such experiences at home,” says current Riverdale agriculture teacher, Logan Hickerson. “Additionally, the greenhouse will strengthen the school’s existing agriculture pathways by providing space for advanced projects, year‑round cultivation, and the development of real‑world skills.”
The project was funded by the 2022 Innovative School Models Grant that was provided to Tennessee public schools.