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VFD: Village Academy in Far Rockaway Opens New Hydroponic and Aquaponic Greenhouse
NY Sun Works in partnership with Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. today announced the opening of a new greenhouse and hydroponic farm classroom at Village Academy in Far Rockaway, Queens. The ribbon-cutting celebration unveiled a classroom with aquaponic and hydroponic technologies to complement the school’s sustainability science curriculum provided by the nonprofit.
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Building 20 New Hydroponic Classrooms in the Bronx with Rep. Ritchie Torres
This week, NY Sun Works was excited to celebrate the addition of 20 new Bronx partner schools joining our community in the Hydroponic Classroom at the Theatre Arts Production Company School (TAPCo) in the Bronx, thanks to generous funding from Congressman Ritchie Torres (NY-15) and with support from Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand. The Congressman joined Director of Development and Government Relations Megan Nordgrén, as well as principals from the schools receiving labs to celebrate the new hydroponic programs across the district. The farmer-scientist students of TAPCo also gave a tour of their hydroponic classroom and shared details about their experience learning about climate and sustainability science surrounded by the leafy green fruits of their labor.
With concerns ranging from resource efficiency and extreme temperatures to air quality and high asthma rates, the Bronx as a borough has historically been excluded from wider environmental resiliency action. 30% of those living in the Bronx do so below the national poverty line as of 2022, compared to the state-wide average of 14%, with half of all Bronx buildings earning a D or lower grade in their energy and water efficiency, their pollution leading to negative health outcomes for residents. These systemic climate injustices cannot continue unaddressed, as Black and Brown communities like those in the Bronx are typically those who feel the effects of environmental degradation and climate change first and most severely. Environmental and climate injustices lead to the increased need for quality science education opportunities for Bronx students – in order to tackle the mistakes of the past, it’s imperative that we empower the young people who will lead our future with the education they need to make a meaningful difference.
“The Bronx is the most resilient and resourceful county in the United States, and the students of the Bronx should have access to the same educational opportunities that are available to students elsewhere in the city,” said U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres (NY-15). “There is an urgent need to foster the next generation of leaders who have the capacity and will to confront the greatest challenge of our time – climate change. For me, this $800,000 is not an expenditure, it is an investment. We’re investing in our young people, we’re investing in their public education, and we’re investing in their leadership and environmental stewardship, which is needed now more than ever.”
Through a hands-on, project-based approach to learning, our program helps students find purpose in their academic journeys, engaging students in the classroom experience and encouraging them to adopt the mantle of farmer-scientists. For many children & young adults who’ve spent their lives immersed in urban environments, food starts on a shelf at the corner store. Growing food seed-to-harvest directly in the classroom provides the unique experience of connecting with where food truly comes from and fosters a bond as students nurture a living, growing thing. With a consistent reason to re-invest in attending and engaging in their schooling, students in our program have seen improved educational outcomes in STEM subjects across grade bands and learning styles.
Thinking beyond education, the Bronx faces some of the highest rates of food insecurity in the nation, with food deserts continuing to impact residents’ ability to access fresh food. Spreading urban farming knowledge and techniques like hydroponic farming can connect local communities with a sustainable source of leafy greens and healthy veggies. Because our systems are built inside school classrooms, they are also able to produce a year-round yield, unlike traditional outdoor farming techniques, which are subject to fluctuating and seasonal weather. Using just a few vertical farming systems, students and their families can enjoy a regular supply of fresh, local produce at no personal cost. And while the limited systems of single classrooms cannot feed entire communities, they can inspire action and create change. Each new school partner acts as an individual seed, and the more we plant, the greener the educational landscape of NYC becomes.
We’re excited to expand our Hydroponic Classroom program to more schools throughout the Bronx thanks to support from Rep. Torres, Sen. Chuck Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand., and continue to make change in the worlds of climate injustice and quality science education where it’s needed most. With the goal of building a city-wide community of farmer-scientists equipped with the tools and knowledge to make a difference, we’re honored by the excitement of our Bronx school partners to get going and get growing. Climate change is the defining challenge of our time, and as such it falls to the leaders of our time to build the sustainable future our young people deserve.
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VFD: NY Sun Works Awarded CIV:LAB Grant to Support Climate Education and Workforce Development
New York Sun Works has been awarded its first climate grant from CIV:LAB to support climate education and the science of sustainability programming at the organization’s existing partner schools across the boroughs. It will also support the expansion of the organization’s urban agriculture workforce development program at two high schools for students interested in climate-focused careers.
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VFD: NY Sun Works and NYPA Partner to Bring Hydroponic Farming to Bilingual School in the Bronx
The first of four new green classrooms coming to the Bronx was officially launched today with a ribbon-cutting at PS 25 The Bilingual School on 149th Street. The hydroponic lab, which grows crops indoors without soil, will teach students agricultural skills, environmental science and other sustainability-based programming.
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BronxNews12: Hydroponic Classroom at PS 25 Bilingual School Part of Plan to Build Healthy Future
P.S. 25 Bilingual School launched a new green classroom Monday where education officials say the joy of learning meets the science of sustainability.
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Celebrating World Food Day with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization
On October 16th, the NY Sun Works team was honored to join the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) at the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) in celebration of World Food Day, a global occasion that serves to elevate discussions and unite voices around food systems and security on a worldwide stage. This year, representatives from UN member countries, the UN System, the New York Mayor’s Office of Food Policy, the NYBG, and NY Sun Works came together to share and learn about these critical topics and highlight the importance of leaving no one behind. By harnessing the power of collective action, World Food Day serves as a call to action, empowering us to work together toward a world free of hunger and one where regular access to healthy, fresh food is a guarantee for all.
This year’s theme was “Water is Life, Water is Food. Leave no one behind,” which highlighted the connections between urban food systems and food security, and their linkages to water. In light of this, we were proud to have Melissa Laudenbach, our Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Operations and Curriculum Coordinator, speak on our behalf. As a member of both our Grow Support and Education Teams, Melissa shared her insights on the reality of implementing climate education and sustainability science in an urban environment like NYC. In accordance with this year’s theme and its emphasis on accessibility and inclusion, Melissa also spoke about how using hydroponics to equip high school juniors and seniors with CEA farming techniques can shape both their individual and collective futures. These marketable technical skills will allow them to pursue green careers in growing fields like sustainable urban agriculture, breaking down barriers to entry for students from low-income communities. She also shared how working with some of the over 1,000 partner teachers we have trained has had an exponential impact on the sustainability of New York’s future, resulting in quality climate education opportunities for tens of thousands of NYC students.
Through our work using water-based hydroponic farming to implement an engaging sustainability science curriculum in NYC public schools, we’ve learned firsthand the significance water can play in the production of food and food systems. Hydroponic farming uses up to 90% less water than traditional soil agriculture, and its vertical and space-conscious design allows it to easily adapt to the landscape of an urban environment. By connecting students with early and consistent exposure to sustainable technologies and the science that powers them, our goal is to equip students with the knowledge and experience they’ll need to navigate a climate-altered future. Whether they’re monitoring systems for their water levels, checking crops for pests, or recording their findings with pen and paper, students in our program are encouraged to foster a sense of scientific inquiry as they explore how the plants they’ve grown mirror the impacts of real-world climate change. In doing so, we hope they’ll feel emboldened to take action in their classrooms, households, and communities.
As our community of sustainable farmer-scientists continues to grow to over 300 partner schools, the number of students we’re impacting has flourished as well. We envision a New York City where every school boasts a Hydroponic Classroom, and where farmer-scientists across the five boroughs learn about the environmental impacts of their daily decisions through the magic of hydroponic farming. Every student deserves a sustainable future, and with each new teacher trained, comes the thousands of students whose lives will be impacted by this new approach to STEM education. Climate change may impact each of us differently, but our responsibility to understand and protect our planet remains the same. And thanks to the success of occasions like World Food Day, we’re closer than we’ve ever been to the sustainable New York of tomorrow.
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NYHispano: Congresista otorga $800,000 para proyectos comunitarios de New York Sun Works
El congresista Ritchie Torres (NY-15) otorgó hoy $800,000 en fondos para proyectos comunitarios a New York Sun Works, una organización local sin fines de lucro dedicada a integrar la ciencia de la sostenibilidad y la educación climática en las escuelas urbanas K-12.
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SloanFoundation: Introducing New York City’s Next Generation of Farmer-Scientists
New York Sun Works teaches K-12 students across the five boroughs the science of sustainability through hands-on urban farming.
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Announcing the Partner Teacher Community Carnival!
On October 18th, NY Sun Works is excited to invite partner teachers from around NYC to join us for our first-ever Teacher Community Carnival! Hosted at Project Farmhouse in Union Square from 4:30 to 7:30 PM, come as our guest and enjoy food, beverages, and themed carnival games as we announce the official launch of our online Teacher Community on Circle. We’ll also shout out the teachers who received our NY Sun Works Educator Certification, and celebrate the successful start of another amazing school year.
As our partner teachers continue cultivating both classroom crops and the farmer-scientists who grow them, we also want to foster a sense of community, personal growth, and positive engagement for the in-school educators who make our work possible. Over the coming months, NY Sun Works affiliated teachers can expect at least one opportunity each month to connect with others teaching in our program, either virtually or in person, through professional development opportunities, constructive workshops, and casual teacher connectivity events.
Every teacher in our program goes above and beyond for the sake of the students in their classroom, adding urban farming skill sets to their already extensive teaching tool repertoire. We want to honor the hard work, personal sacrifice, and genuine passion partner teachers have brought to our program by providing spaces for teachers to share stories, tips and tricks, and advice with peers who run hydroponic classrooms of their own. Our online Teacher Community will allow educators to participate in discussions that transcend not only their school, but grade level, borough, and pedagogical approach.
Partner teachers interested in RSVP’ing should check their email inbox for further information and a registration link. We hope to see you there!
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NY Sun Works Welcomes New Board Member Uche Amaechi
In the wake of Climate Week NYC, we’re honored to welcome Dr. Uche B Amaechi to the NY Sun Works Board of Directors. Uche brings extensive experience working with nonprofits in the world of education and has an Ed.D. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Cultures, Community, and Education, as well as an Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Technology, Innovation, and Education, an MBA from the University of Phoenix online, and a BA in Biology from Harvard College. Uche currently serves as a Lecturer on Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE), with a focus on helping education-focused nonprofits effectively scale for impact. Beyond Harvard, he also works in the Cambridge Public Schools on school leadership, collaboration, and previously served for eight years in roles directing out-of-school programming in Cambridge.
“I’m inspired by NY Sun Works’ commitment to providing high-quality education where it’s most needed, in service of inspiring future generations of innovators to create and contribute to solutions to our global climate challenges.” Said Uche about joining the NY Sun Works Board. “I’m excited to join the capable and passionate team, board, and staff members in furthering this most important and urgent work.”
By incorporating Uche’s expertise in the world of education nonprofits into our Board of Directors, we hope to effectively and sustainably scale our organization to meet the needs of our growing community and to bring climate change education to more students at a pace that is commensurate with the need. With over 100 new Hydroponic Classrooms in schools this year alone, it’s critical that we continue delivering the in-depth and comprehensive support a program like ours needs to thrive. As a mission-focused organization, our work is naturally resource-limited, making the effective use and application of our resources tantamount to achieving our mission. We envision a world where every New York City public school – and beyond – includes opportunities for students to learn about the health of our planet and their role in preserving it in a way that captures their attention, forms long-term habits, and builds the awareness necessary to create climate-conscious New Yorkers. Every child deserves a sustainable future, and Uche’s insights in this realm will be instrumental in making our vision a reality.
While serving on the board of Community Charter Schools of Cambridge, City Sprouts, and Farrington Nature Linc, Uche also worked to target low-income and minority populations, which aligns with our focus on working with underserved communities and schools. From Brooklyn to the Bronx, communities of color are often on the front lines of climate change, facing the effects first and most severely while being excluded from major environmental resiliency efforts. Making climate education happen for schools with profoundly limited opportunities isn’t an easy task, but now more than ever, we believe it is an achievable one. Only through intentional acts of transformative change can we solve the systemic inequity that has loomed over sustainability efforts and its educational awareness in recent years. Teachers and students have made their voices heard: The thirst for knowledge is there, and it’s up to us to imagine, build, and be the change we want – and need – to see in NYC and beyond.
