US (IA): $2,000 grant allows students to dig into hydroponics

Feb 21, 2025

The Winfield-Mt. Union (WMU) Community School District's Family and Consumer Science (FCS) program, led by Amber Beard, has added a hydroponic system to its classroom thanks to a mini-grant over $2,000 from the Regional Planning Partnership (RPP). The system currently cultivates lettuce, spinach, basil, and kale.

With hydroponics, students can help cultivate fresh produce year-round with a sustainable agriculture practice. Adding the hydroponics system to the classroom offers hands-on experience and expands educational opportunities for WMU FCS as they learn about this method of growing plants which does not a whole plot of soil.

Not only does the hydroponic system allow plants to grow faster and, in less space, compared to traditional gardening methods, but also gives the WMU FCS program more resources as Beard plans for students to harvest the produce and use it in classroom kitchen labs for various recipes.

The benefits of hydroponic systems extend beyond the classroom. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), hydroponic systems use up to 90% less water than traditional farming and allow crops to grow in controlled environments, reducing the impact of pests and adverse weather conditions. The USDA also notes that controlled environment agriculture, including hydroponics, can help address food security challenges by enabling food production in urban and resource-limited settings.