Press

Students enrolled in the NY Sun Works program are more likely to score higher on the 4th grade science achievement test scores, according data acquired by the nonprofit.

NY Sun Works announced that it has been awarded a $25,000 grant by the prestigious Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to provide high-quality, climate and environmental science education to public school students. The grant will provide additional resources to implement hydroponic farming technology at each school as well as comprehensive teacher training for science educators.

Young people in one Queens community are getting a special hands-on after-school lesson in farming at the first hydroponic farm inside a New York City Housing Authority community center.  The Astoria Houses has a very special urban farming program for elementary and middle school students.

A Bronx school classroom is bustling with life, and we’re not just talking about all the plants. The students are excited because they’re learning how to grow food sustainably — and are getting to eat their homework. NBC New York’s Gilma Avalos reports.

Jarule Boapeah is one of 16 special-needs students at Q721 public high school in Elmhurst, Queens, learning all about hydroponic farming — right inside the classroom. "I love to see plants growing — I feel proud," the 12th grader said through a special communication device. 

PS 158 staff, elected officials, NY Sun Works staff, and students Rep. Hakeem Jeffries and first grade students. We harvested 14 lbs of vegetables for students to take home! A NY Sun Works Hydroponic Farm Classroom is officially open at PS 158 Warwick Elementary School in Brooklyn, NYC.

NY1 Visited the wonderful and green NY Sun Works Pop-Up at Astor Place!

Students at a school in Harlem are learning about climate change through hydroponic farming. NBC New York’s John Chandler reports.

Despite mounting evidence that schools are not turning out to be major incubators or vectors of  Covid-19 transmission, New York City shut down its public school system in November. Such closures have a disastrous impact on education in STEM subjects: science, technology, engineering and math. Science in particular is extremely hands-on and almost impossible to grasp virtually.  

No soil, no problem. Hydroponic growing systems use a mineral-based solution to nourish plants. Because no soil is needed, the kits are ideal for use in smaller space and urban environments. They also served as an ideal opportunity to bring science home for students working through the pandemic.

With climate change and global economic restructuring threatening supply chains and the whole system of commodity food production, agricultural education has become more important than ever. Most schools, however, are not equipped to teach the basics of farming. Fortunately, a number of independent programs have emerged to provide both children and adults with instruction to begin harvesting their own food and tending to the land.

Northern Michigan University will launch a new, multidisciplinary indoor agriculture associate degree this fall. The program will prepare students for careers in medicinal plant and agricultural food production, as well as the indoor growing system industry. It will also empower them to grow plants year-round in northern climates, addressing potential food insecurity issues.

A new hydroponic science lab is officially open at P.S. 85 Queens- The Judge Charles J. Vallone School- as educators, elected officials, leadership from the New York Power Authority, and the team at New York Sun Works unveiled the state-of-the-art educational tool on March 10.

Students and teachers at an Astoria elementary school celebrated the opening of the school’s brand new hydroponic lab at a ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday. P.S. 17 Henry David Thoreau, located at 28-37 29th St., became the fifth school to install a hydroponic lab as part of Council Member Costa Constantinides’ Science 2050 budget initiative.

Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams has announced a $15 million capital investment in bring STEAM education to over 50 schools. The money will be used to fund the construction of multiple hydropic labs and to create new spaces where students can engage in experiential learning a variety of fields.