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Climate Action Day Workshop PD: Water
Join us in a NY Sun Works Professional Learning session to prepare for your last NYC Climate Action Day! The Climate Action Day focused on Water will take place on Wednesday, June 12. This session will give you time to plan! We will share NY Sun Works learning resources, lessons, and units related to engaging students in water and ocean conservation and action projects. You and your fellow partner teachers will brainstorm and come up with the plans to implement this in your hydroponic classrooms and schools!
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BK Reader: Brooklyn and Queens Schools Get STEM and Sustainability Curriculum Thanks to Rep. Nydia Velázquez
Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez recently presented a check worth $800,000 in funding to NY Sun Works — a New York-based nonprofit that delivers science and sustainability education through urban farming to K-12 students — to provide schools in Brooklyn and Queens with hydroponic farm technology to enhance each school’s science curriculum.
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The 13th Annual Discovering Sustainability Science Youth Conference
The Youth Conference is an annual celebration of science and a student showcase where Farmer Scientists from our partner schools take the stage to share their projects and research in the world of climate science. This year’s conference will be held on Thursday May 23, 2024 at the iconic Javits Center, where students in grades 3-12 will present live to our audience of students, educators, guest speakers, elected officials, and more. Registration for this year’s conference is now open to NY Sun Works partner schools! For more information, please join one of our Youth Conference Info Sessions, also found on our Upcoming Events Calendar.
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QNS: Rep. Velázquez Announces Expansion of Hydroponic Science Education to 20 Schools in NY-07
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NY Hispano: Congresista Entrega Fondos para Programa de Agricultura Urbana en CUNY
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Rep. Nydia Velázquez Joins NY Sun Works in Celebrating 20 New Hydroponic Classrooms
This week, Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez joined NY Sun Works in announcing the expansion of our climate science and sustainability education program in Brooklyn and Queens. Through new state-of-the-art hydroponic farms at 20 schools throughout New York’s 7th Congressional District, we’re teaming up to improve STEM education in NYC public schools, equipping tomorrow’s climate leaders with the learning opportunities they deserve today. Rep. Velázquez, NY Sun Works Executive Director Manuela Zamora, and Director of Program Development Megan Nordgren celebrated the $800,000 investment with principals from the 20 schools receiving new farm classrooms: J.H.S. 050 John D. Wells, P.S. 110 The Monitor, P.S. 67 Charles A. Dorsey, P.S. 132 The Conselyea School, P.S. 145 Andrew Jackson, P.S. 151 Lyndon B. Johnson, P.S. 250 George H. Lindsay, P.S., 299 Thomas Warren Field, Lyons Community School, Benjamin Banneker Academy, Bridges: A School for Exploration and Equity, William Cullen Bryant High School, International High School at LaGuardia Community College, P.S. 76 William Hallet, I.S. 204 Oliver W. Holmes, P.S. 60 Woodhaven, P.S. 120 Carlos Tapia, I.S. 125 Thom J. McCann Woodside, LaGuardia Community College, and P.S. 86 The Irvington.
“We are honored to be part of this historic investment in Brooklyn and Queens to bring this expansion to fruition that will not only enrich the science curriculum in schools but empower and inspire students to pursue careers in STEM,” said Manuela Zamora, NY Sun Works Executive Director. “Congresswoman Velázquez is committed to bringing hands-on 21st century urban farming education, climate and food justice to the forefront to thousands of public school students. Our cutting edge technology teaches students responsible stewardship, the ability to grow their own food from seed to harvest and share fresh, nutritious produce with their community.”
Reaching thousands of students each year, partner schools receiving this investment will also benefit from ongoing professional development training to help ensure STEM educators can easily incorporate NY Sun Works curriculum into their new classrooms. The curriculum, which aligns with NYC and NY State standards, covers topics across different science disciplines through the lens of sustainability, environmental education, and climate awareness. Additionally, indoor farming experts from NY Sun Works will visit each classroom weekly to guide and support teachers in maintaining their hydroponic systems and the budding plants therein.
“I’m proud to have fought to bring these funds to my district to enhance access to STEM education and provide students with the opportunity to learn more about local food production, healthy eating, climate, and sustainability,” said Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (NY-07). “Greenhouse Hydroponic farming is not only a financially wise investment, with excellent educational returns, but will also create a sound foundation in young students of self-sufficiency, respect for the environment, and a desire for healthy living and nutrition.”
By bringing our program to more schools, we hope to further integrate the sustainability mindset into NYC communities, engaging families in the classroom experience through take-home harvests of fresh produce, while providing the climate resilience opportunities communities of color are so often excluded from. In a post-COVID world, we need to re-engage our young people in the learning process, and hands-on, project-based learning is a perfect way to do exactly that. With partners like Rep. Velázquez, we have full confidence we can make our dream of a greener NYC a reality.
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BronxFreePress: Bounty in the Bronx – Hydroponic Farm Program Expanded in Public Schools
Just electricity and water. Hydroponics technology is a type of “vertical farming” that allows for the production of plants in an indoor environment without the need for soil. Instead, a mineral-based solution and special LED lighting can be used to nourish plants.
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Bronx Week: Addressing Learning Loss & Food Insecurity with Borough President Vanessa Gibson
It’s no secret COVID-19 had a drastic effect on the American education system. With classes nationwide suspended followed by months of remote & hybrid learning, educators have grappled with the persistent problem of adapting the classroom experience to our rapidly changing world. While schools composed of students of all grade levels and socioeconomic backgrounds have faced this challenge, those serving large populations of low-income students saw more significant drops in attendance and in-school engagement, as well as decreases in their students’ food and housing security. The Bronx is one such community, where residents have historically been underserved in the areas of climate education and food access, with food insecurity at the highest of all the five boroughs. Additionally, attendance & enrollment in Bronx public schools has fallen significantly short of citywide averages over recent years, a problem the pandemic has only exacerbated. At NY Sun Works, we believe local problems often require local solutions, which is why we’ve doubled down on our efforts to connect communities in the Bronx with fresh produce and an engaging educational experience through the installation of 20 new hydroponic classrooms thanks to funding from Borough President Vanessa Gibson and the Bronx city council delegation.
Through a hands-on, project-based approach to learning, our program helps alleviate the learning loss brought about by the pandemic, 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. This philosophy of learning is additionally effective at uplifting students of color, who often see the impact of climate change and food inequity in their communities sooner than others. With a consistent reason to re-invest in attending and engaging in their schooling, students in our program have seen improved educational outcomes across grade bands and learning styles.
“It is an unfortunate fact that Black and Brown communities are by far the most affected by climate change and systemic environmental injustice in our city,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson. “If we are to undo the mistakes of the past, then we must do everything in our power to ensure our youth are also a part of the solution.”
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. Urban farming techniques like hydroponic farming allow us to connect local communities with a sustainable source of leafy greens and healthy veggies. Because our systems are built inside NYC classrooms, they are also able to produce a yield year-round, unlike traditional outdoor farming techniques. Using just a few vertical farming systems, students, teachers, and families can enjoy a regular supply of fresh, local produce at no personal cost.
“We are honored to start the year in the Bronx with staunch champions like Borough President Gibson who has funded 13 labs for a total of $1.7 million, the entire Bronx city council delegation that funded an additional 6 labs and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This expansion will not only bring hands-on hydroponic farming curriculum to hundreds of students in the Bronx but also empower them to take action, become advocates and be part of the solution to our growing climate crisis,” said Manuela Zamora, NY Sun Works Executive Director.
We are excited to expand our hydroponic classroom program and continue to address systemic issues like those present in the Bronx & across the city. Our goal is to foster a broader community of students and educators equipped with the tools to make a difference with sustainability issues at heart. We’d like to thank Borough President Vanessa Gibson for her work and support in bringing 13 new hydroponic labs to Bronx schools this year, as well as Green Mountain Energy Sun Club, the Gray Foundation, COFRA Foundation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Bronx city council delegation who have lent their support in bringing sustainability and climate education to the Bronx.
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NY Sun Works Joins Councilmember Schulman & Superintendent Pate in Distributing STEM Hydroponic Kits
NY Sun Works was honored to join NYC District 29 Councilmember Lynn Schulman and Superintendent Tammy Pate in distributing over 600 of our iconic STEM Hydroponic Kits to students in three Queens schools. P.S. 54Q, P.S. 144Q, and P.S. 99Q were all chosen by Councilmember Schulman, who generously funded the kits. During her visit, the councilmember asked students about their goals for the future, and shared the joys of learning about hydroponic farming. NY Sun Works’ Director of Program Development Megan Nordgren also discussed urban farming and sustainability topics with curious learners K-5, who eagerly confided dreams of careers in STEM fields such as electrical engineering and pediatrics.
As we continue to expand our program, partnering with new schools across the wide range of NYC neighborhoods, we feel strongly that accessibility must be and remain a core component of our mission. While small in stature, these STEM Hydroponic Kits contain the materials for up to three students to share and grow their own seedlings in a passive hydroponic system. Additionally, they come equipped with 10 to 13 lessons of accompanying curriculum, dependent on the grade band and accessible via our online Learning Center. With the ability to provide delicious, delicate greens like green basil and pole beans, the kits provide students with unique opportunities to study plants on a deeper level, as well as sharpen important skills in observation and data collection. Said one 4th-grade student at P.S.54Q, “I’m excited to see the steps of how a plant can grow without soil!”
We are deeply grateful to Councilmember Schulman for allowing us to share the magic of climate science and hydroponic farming with students in her community. Our STEM Hydroponic Kits are available to all NYC educators, regardless of whether they are partnered with NY Sun Works. The kits can be ordered in multiples of 35. And requests for our final round of STEM Hydroponic Kits until the fall can be sent to Madeline on our Program Development Team this week.
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QueensChronicle: CM Schulman Delivers 600 STEM Kits to Queens Schools with NY Sun Works: Hydroponic Handout in D29
Councilmember Lynn Schulman (D-Forest Hills) in partnership with New York Sun Works, distributed 600 hydroponics kits at three schools in her District 29 on Friday. Students at PS 54 in Richmond Hill, PS 99 in Kew Gardens and PS 144 in Forest Hills will have the chance to participate in a 10-lesson curriculum as they watch their plants grow.
