NY SUN WORKS OPENS NEW HYDROPONIC FARM AT PS/IS 78Q FUNDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE WON
January 21, 2025
Students Enrolled in the NY Sun Works Program Receive Quality Climate Education and Fresh Food From Cutting-Edge Hydroponic Farming Technology.
QUEENS, NY [January 16, 2024] – NY Sun Works gathered with New York City Council Member Julie Won, school leaders, teachers, parents and students at PS/IS 78Q in Queens for the ribbon cutting ceremony of a new hydroponic classroom designed to foster a love of science, nature and gardening among students.
Rich, bountiful greens sprout upwards from grow trays. The only sounds are the ethereal hum of LED panels and the light trickle of running water. The aroma of fresh basil, lettuce and tomatoes lingers in the air. A group of students hover around the four different hydroponic systems on display, examining each plant’s growth before selecting and cutting the ripest leaves to share with their guests. The nexus of benefits from these classrooms is clear; they bring access to fresh food, draw students more deeply into their STEM curricula and build an awareness of the connections between farming and climate change.
“At NY Sun Works, we are committed to ensuring that every public school child in New York City, no matter where they were born or where they go to school, receives a high-quality science education. Today, we get one lab closer to that goal,” said NY Sun Works Executive Director Manuela Zamora. “As we face climate disasters from California to the Carolinas, many many leaders will talk about the importance of protecting the climate. I can tell you, proudly, that these leaders here with us today do more than just talk. They take action.”
“Today as we cut the ribbon, we are not just opening the doors to a new lab. We are unlocking a future full of innovation, learning and opportunity,” said PS/IS 78Q Principal Deana Rombone.
“As a longtime proponent of hydroponics in schools, I am thrilled to see the opening of this new hydroponics classroom at PS/IS 78Q. This classroom will help students learn valuable lessons about bioscience and agriculture, allowing them to improve their overall understanding of the STEM fields,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “As we face climate change and many other serious environmental challenges, it’s never been more important for our students to receive a solid STEM education. I’m proud to have allocated millions of dollars to build more than two dozen hydroponics labs in schools across Queens since taking office, and I look forward to working with NY Sun Works to construct many more in the years to come.”
“I’m happy that I provided $75,000 in capital funding for the new hydroponics classroom at PS/IS 78Q that teaches our students how to sustainably grow food in our city,” said New York City Council Member Julie Won. “Thank you to PS/IS 78Q and NY Sun Works for helping us to create climate-friendly education in our schools. The ongoing climate crisis means that we must continue supporting programs that give students the tools to be sustainable and create young leaders that care about the future of our planet.”
“PS/IS 78Q is incredibly grateful to Council Member Julie Won for her commitment to schools and the education of children in Western Queens. Without her help and dedication we could not provide children with the opportunities that she has enabled us to produce,” said PTA President Kelly Craig. “We are also grateful for our partnership with NY Sun Works and the environmental education and awareness they bring to our children’s classroom. Children learn best by being able to be hands-on during lessons. We value the lessons that our children are now being taught on climate change and sustainability. And all the other tangible STEM lessons yet to come.”
In Queens, NY Sun Works has 52 partner schools, with another 28 labs at new schools to be installed this year. The nonprofit opened its first lab in 2010 and has grown today to serve more than 140,000 students across over 350 public schools in the New York City metro area. NY Sun Works delivers inquiry-based K-12 science and sustainability education through the lens of urban farming. The goals are to support each school’s long-term capacity to deliver a high-quality science program; optimize students’ learning experience in the hydroponic classroom; and expand access to fresh produce for students and their families, while preparing students to exceed NYC’s science standards. Hydroponic technology is farming that enables the cultivation of plants in an indoor environment. Rather than from the sun, plants receive energy from LED lighting that is tailored specifically to the energy needs of the plants. Instead of using soil, seeds are planted in soil-free growth mediums.
Partner schools like PS/IS 78Q will receive ongoing professional development training for science educators and weekly visits from a hydroponic specialist to guide teachers in hydroponic systems maintenance, provide planting, harvest, and produce distribution support; and clean, prep, and troubleshoot systems.
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