A group of students in the Project-Based Learning pilot are collaborating with the high school’s food production class to work in the hydroponic greenhouse.
The greenhouse was funded through a grant from Dow approximately two years ago. It’s in its third year of operations.
The food production class has planted lettuce, basil, strawberries, cherry tomatoes and broccoli in the Hydroponic Grow Towers. The PBL students are working on the hydroponic lettuce tables.
Sebastayn Toft is working in the greenhouse as part of the work-based learning/co-op, as well as the project-based learning (PBL) program. He recruited Adam Freeman and Dandi Perez Ramirez, who are in the PBL program to help him in the greenhouse.
Presently, the group is cleaning all of the equipment used to funnel water to the hydroponic tables. They have planted some of the lettuce pods.
Sebastayan is in the agriculture pathway and has worked in the greenhouse since his sophomore year. He said they plan to have three lettuce tables and 24 buckets of tomatoes growing by the end of the fall semester.
“We would like to upgrade to aquaponics if we get the resources,” Adam added. Aquaponics is the use of fish waste to fertilize the hydroponically grown plants.
The equipment for an aquaponic operation is in the greenhouse, said Agriculture teacher Sabrina Stephenson. She said they may begin using it in the spring semester.