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HARLEM WORLD: NY Sun Works Awarded $25,000 Grant To Support Climate Education Thru Urban Farming From Harlem To Hollis
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.
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NY Sun Works Awarded Prestigious Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Grant
NY Sun Works is honored to announce we’ve been awarded our first grant from the renowned Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The Sloan Foundation is a not-for-profit, mission-driven grantmaking institution dedicated to improving the welfare of all through the advancement of scientific knowledge.
“STEM education is a cornerstone of our mission and particularly important in our New York City grantmaking,” says Chris Richardson, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Communications Officer. “We are thrilled to support New York Sun Works and excited to see how their innovative science labs continue to provide transformative educational experiences to students across the five boroughs.”
This $25,000 grant, through the Foundation’s New York City program, plants the seed for a brighter future for three NYC schools by funding the implementation of our hands-on sustainability science program, as well as for a promising future for NY Sun Works as we continue to welcome new partners to our mission of improving science-based education in NYC.
For more information, please click the link below to view or download our full press release.
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NY Sun Works Welcomes New Board Members
NY Sun Works is pleased to welcome Susan Tenner, Sarah Horowitz, and Chris Collins to our Board of Directors.
A graduate of Holy Cross College and Albany Law School, Chris worked for 20 years as a litigator in both New York and California. He specialized in complex commercial litigation, environmental litigation, civil rights, securities, elder abuse, and many other areas of law. After leaving the law in 1999, Chris worked as a Director at Oracle Corp. and as a Director of Risk Management at Sapient. Born and raised in the NYC area, Chris moved to San Francisco in 1988 and returned to New York in 2004 to take the position of Executive Director at Solar One. Chris also has a long history of working with nonprofit organizations. He was a founder of New York City’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Community Services Center and the Callan-Lourde Health Clinic. He served as co-chair of the LGBT Center between 1985 and 1989. He was also a member of the Board of Directors of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force between 1991 and 1996 and served as Board co-Chair between 1994 and 1996. After 17 years of leading Solar One, Chris retired at the end of 2021.
Sarah is currently a producer on the upcoming film Acts of Reparation, as well as a pro-bono consultant in project management and fundraising at The Greene County African American Museum in Greensboro, Georgia. Prior to shifting her focus toward family and volunteer work, Sarah worked at Jones Lang LaSalle, adapting historic buildings for reuse, including the redevelopment of Times Square and the renovation of Grand Central Terminal. At the historic Grand Central, she became the Director of Programming & Events and created a diverse series of arts programming at Vanderbilt Hall. Sarah has also worked as a talent agent at Triad Artists in NYC, representing actors in film, television, and theater. She attended the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation’s Real Estate Development Program and has a BA from Williams College.
The executive director & co-founder of the Brooklyn Urban Garden Charter School (BUGS), Susan oversees the school’s educational, operational, and financial aspects. BUGS, a middle school, was created by a group of committed community members and currently provides a unique and rigorous learning community that embodies the sustainability mission of NY Sun Works. Susan holds a Master’s degree in Education from Harvard and has worked in the education field for nearly 3 decades. She is a skilled grant writer and fundraiser, has extensive board experience, and is an education expert.
We’re both honored and excited to be joined by these accomplished leaders in our mission to improve science-based education throughout NYC. Together, we can continue leveling the educational playing field in America’s largest public school system, and better prepare young learners with the climate education they need to tackle the environmental issues of today.
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NY Sun Works Awarded Competitive Federal Grant for Urban Farming Education
NY Sun Works is thrilled to be one of 12 recipients of funding from the USDA’s National Institute of Food & Agriculture (NIFA), via their Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program (FASLP). FASLP is dedicated to promoting agricultural knowledge and nutritional health of low-income children; fostering higher levels of engagement between farms and school’s systems; and helping K-12 students build leadership skills for agricultural and related careers.
The two-year, $220,000 grant will enable us to implement our urban farming program in five South Bronx primary and secondary schools, including expansion to a new partner school, and to bring our Controlled Environment Agriculture workforce development program to two partner high schools. The grant also funds our collaboration with Green Guerillas, the iconic NYC community farming advocacy non-profit, to connect students at the five schools with local urban food producers and enable them to explore the intersection of community farming and food justice.
Joining NY Sun Works as awardees are FoodCorps, Inc.; Friends of the National Arboretum; HealtHIE Georgia Corps; North Carolina State University; Old Grove Orange, Inc.; Pilot Light; Rural Action, Inc.; Sprouting Farms Corps; SUNY Oneonta; The International Rescue Committee; and University of South Florida.
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US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona Tours NY Sun Works Hydroponic Classroom
“When I look at this classroom, I don’t see just plants — I see opportunities for students.”
– US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona
On Tuesday, August 16th, NY Sun Works was honored to welcome US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and Rep. Nydia Velázquez to the hydroponic farm classroom at one of our long-standing partner schools, Cypress Hills Community School in Brooklyn. This important occasion comes as part of a greater national conversation concerning helping schools recover from the pandemic. During their visit, NY Sun Works’ Executive Director Manuela Zamora and Director of Program Development Megan Nordgrén guided our distinguished guests through the benefits of a hands-on approach to learning, facilitated by planting, growing, and harvesting produce in the classroom.
A critical aspect of the evolving educational landscape is equal access to quality education, something that becomes increasingly important as we gain deeper insights into where and how educational disparities manifest. NY Sun Works’ program is dedicated to addressing these needs: our curriculum aligns with NYS mandated science standards and the NGSS and is designed by experts with years of teaching in classrooms of their own, with students of all learning abilities. We meet students where they are, especially students who are at-risk, require special accommodations, or are currently underrepresented in STEM fields. Working with our labs provides students not only with 21st-century skills they can take into post-secondary education or their careers, but measurable social-emotional learning benefits from growing and caring for plants in the classroom.
Hydroponic classrooms are more than just classrooms, however. They integrate climate education into their surrounding communities, allowing teachers and caregivers to grow alongside students. Educators who take part in our programming receive comprehensive support from our education and greenhouse operations teams to confidently teach about sustainability science and urban farming. In parallel, students are not only exposed to a new way of learning science but also encouraged to bring the science home by sharing the produce they’ve grown in the classroom with their families and the school community through our Harvest Program.
The need for climate and sustainability education in our school system has never been greater. NY Sun Works strives to help provide cost-effective, scalable, and sustainable solutions to educational needs in schools that need them most. Together with the support of leaders like Secretary Cardona, and elected officials who play a vital role in our cause, we can continue to execute our mission of empowering the next generation of climate and sustainability leaders with the learning opportunities they deserve.
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High School Students Graduate NY Sun Works-Developed Professional Certification Program in Hydroponic Farming
NY Sun Works is excited to announce the graduation of the first group of students from its high school certification program in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA). As of Friday, August 12th, 32 students from Brooklyn’s High School for Innovation in Advertising & Media, East Brooklyn Community High School, and the Thomas Edison CTE High School in Queens completed training in seed-to-harvest hydroponic farming and career readiness. These certification programs provide students with valuable skills that prepare them for entry into the workforce as hydroponic farming technicians or for post-secondary study.
NY Sun Works developed the program, which is the first of its kind in NYC, with funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and implemented it in collaboration with the city’s Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). The program addresses the need for youth workforce development programs, especially for students in underserved communities, and helps build a pipeline of skilled workers in hydroponic farming, a growing green industry in NYC and other urban areas. “Giving students hands-on opportunities with hydroponics is critical to improve their physical health, mental wellbeing, and career readiness,” said Mayor Adams. “As Brooklyn borough president, I was proud to fund the creation of 70 hydroponics labs in schools to teach our children where their foods comes from. Through this certification program, students will be prepared for jobs in growing industries, and can enjoy the fruits of their labor.”
The program was held in each of the high school’s hydroponic classrooms, which are installed and maintained by NY Sun Works. With instruction provided by NY Sun Works hydroponic specialists and high school science teachers, students learned how to operate and assemble hydroponic systems; how the systems distribute nutrients to plant life; and built familiarity with standard troubleshooting techniques. Additionally, students gained key experience in managing water quality, performing nutrient testing and solving nutrient deficiency, and implementing pest prevention. Over the course of their six-week program, the students also completed routine practical assessments pertaining to these skills to ensure their certification prepared them for their graduation.
Students were paid during their training through support from SYEP at the High School for Innovation in Advertising & Media and East Brooklyn Community High School, and the Summer Design Institute at Thomas Edison CTE High School. “At its best, SYEP presents youth with opportunities to explore potential career paths, strengthen overall work readiness, and build specific skills that employers value,” said David Fischer, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Youth Employment. “NY Sun Works’ Controlled Environment Agriculture certification program delivers on all three fronts. Beyond providing youth a great experience, CEA helps position them for a range of future paths in education and the workforce.”
NY Sun Works strives to address both professional and educational needs in areas such as urban farming, sustainability, and environmental science through initiatives like the CEA Certification. Says Manuela Zamora, the organization’s Executive Director, “Engaging students in their formative years with hands-on science learning provides opportunities for both social-emotional development and professional growth. These are especially important for communities that have been historically underserved, and it is one of the many ways NY Sun Works continues to effect change where it’s needed most.”
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NY Sun Works Informs White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health During Preparatory Events
In September, President Joe Biden will be hosting the first White House conference on food issues in more than 50 years. NY Sun Works participated in two of the preparatory events to this conference aimed at gathering perspectives and policy recommendations from a broad array of stakeholders on strategies to end hunger, improve nutrition, reduce the prevalence of diet-related diseases, and to promote equity in the food system. Mayor Eric Adams convened the first event at Gracie Mansion in June with policymakers, industry leaders, academics and non-profit representatives. NY Sun Works Executive Director Manuela Zamora shared the organization’s work in 200 NYC schools, stressing the importance of educating our youth about food cultivation and nutrition, while increasing resilience through producing healthy vegetables in hundreds of classrooms. At a forum this week on Food Insecurity & Health in the Context of Climate Change organized by Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez who represents sections of Brooklyn and Queens, NY Sun Works joined other non-profits and farmers to provide input on a comprehensive roadmap to end hunger for the upcoming White House conference. As food insecurity continues to increase locally and throughout the United States, NY Sun Works is proud to be growing the next generation of farmer scientists and making fresh food available to our partner school communities.
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A Summer of Builds
As the school year has wound down, the NY Sun Works team has worked with our partners to close up most of our hydroponic farm classrooms for the summer break. One of the many benefits of growing food hydroponically is that the growing season matches the school year, so students can grow from September all the way through June, then put their farms to rest during the long summer break. Unless there are fish involved, of course! Our Greenhouse Support Team continues to visit schools with aquaponics year-round, as well as schools that use their labs for summer programming.
But the summer is not a quiet time for the NY Sun Works Greenhouse Support Team. Instead, our team uses the summer months to install new hydroponic labs and jump-start new partnerships. Our team is on target to build as many as 30 new farm classrooms throughout the city – from the Eastchester section of the Bronx to South Richmond Hill in Queens and all the way to Coney Island in Brooklyn. Our partnerships are also growing beyond the 5 boroughs to Union City, NJ, and Chappaqua, NY. We look forward to getting these new labs – and partnerships – growing in the fall!
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John P. Holland Charter School Celebrates Official Opening of Hydroponic Classroom
On Tuesday, June 14th, NY Sun Works joined students and staff at the John P. Holland Charter School, in Woodland Park, NJ to celebrate the official opening of their NY Sun Works hydroponic classroom. The classroom is funded by a USDA Farm to School grant as well as funding from Sustainable Jersey Schools and the PSEG Foundation, and has been a source of education and exploration for students and staff members alike since it opened earlier this school year.
“We learned that through hydroponics plants can grow without soil,” Luis Rosa, a student at John P. Holland said. “This is helpful for people who live in cities or urban areas such as Paterson.”
“Even during this year of training, the garden has allowed our community to experience the growing process from seed to table throughout the year,” said school founder Christina Scano. “In its first seven months, we harvested over 60 pounds of produce in this beautiful space.”
With over 12 crop varieties to date, and more to come, the school’s edible garden offers hands-on knowledge of STEM concepts and inspires healthy eating habits among their students and families. So far, the school has used the garden to make and share smoothies, pesto, salad and pickles. In the fall, they are hoping to grow pumpkins.
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Students Share Science Research in NY Sun Works’ 11th Annual Discovering Sustainability Science Youth Conference
On Tuesday, May 24th, students from NY Sun Works’ partner schools came together virtually to share their science and environmental research at our 11th Annual Discovering Sustainability Science Youth Conference. A total of 68 student researchers, from kindergarten to 12th grade, shared their work. These research scholars presented their independent and collaborative projects to an audience of their peers, parents, and teachers across our 200 partner schools. Congratulations to all on a job well done!
The students presented on a range of science and sustainability topics, including how ocean acidity affects plant health, the role of photosynthetic active radiation in plant growth, and how to grow food hydroponically. They also shared what they learned through their experiences in the hydroponic classroom:
“We learned that fresh produce can help bring a community together, and show students that fresh, nutritious food is just as good,” said students from Rachel Carson High School, whose project involved creating and advertising their own farmer’s market with food grown in their hydroponic systems. Students were also enthusiastic about how their greenhouse classrooms inspire them. “I believe that every school should have a greenhouse classroom,” Akaycia from Kennedy-King Elementary shared. “There are so many priceless educational benefits!”
Making the conference happen is a tremendous team effort. We’d like to say a huge thank you to our sponsors, Con Edison, Grodan, and New York Power Authority, for their financial support, as well as to the teachers, our video production team, and the amazing NY Sun Works staff, led by Becky on our Education Team, who did the hard work behind the scenes to make this event possible! Thank you! If you were not able to join on May 24th, please watch and share below:
