Community Transition Program’s Plant Sale still supporting education

Again this year, the Portland Public School Community Transition Program (CTP) presented its Green Thumb Plant Sale in April and May at their Brentwood-Darlington neighborhood campus.

The CPT students who grow and care for the plants are young adults, ages 18-21, who each have an “Individualized Education Plan”, and who graduate from high school with either a modified diploma or an extended diploma.

“I really like transplanting and labeling plants,” CTP student Emily Wiggin told THE BEE about her participation in the program. “I like learning new tasks, also. The greenhouse internship is helping me build skills and gain independence. Being in this calm and quiet space helps me learn. It’s fun to try it out!”

With a greenhouse chock full of all kinds of flora, gardeners find browsing among the tables to be a wonderland. Some shoppers told us they always wind up buying more plants then they’d intended to!

“This isn’t just about the Plant Sale; it’s about the whole process of our students getting the plants all the way to this point: Ready to sell,” explained CTP Principal Tricia Curley at the April 20th opening day.

“That is, we help students with disabilities learn many different skills that they need to learn how to do gardening. This includes planting, propagating, and caring for plants. It gives students work experience and job readiness skills, and prepares them for employment, after leaving school.”

If you missed the sale this year, it’ll be back next spring. The Community Transition Program campus, at 6801 S.E. 60th Avenue – right across from Brentwood Park.