Lettuce (Let Us) Learn: NYPA Supports STEM education in Brooklyn
By Kamryn Foley
With a nationwide lettuce recall raising fresh concerns about food safety, a local Brooklyn program supported by the New York Power Authority (NYPA) offers a timely reminder of how communities can learn about environmental issues and grow clean, reliable produce close to home.
Just before breaking for summer, students at PS250 shared with school and community members their last batch of kale, basil and baby lettuce. from their hydroponic classroom. The harvest was a culmination of months of hard work and part of NYPA’s commitment to making environmental science and sustainability more accessible and tangible for students across New York.
The Green Classrooms Program educates young people about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) topics and is geared to inspire them to develop an interest in and understanding of the environment and sustainable food production.
NYPA has supported the Green Classroom Program through its Environmental Justice department in partnership with NY Sun Works. In the last year, NYPA funded maintenance support for 20 schools, building on earlier years when it helped establish classrooms in more than 30 schools. This partnership reflects NYPAs ongoing commitment to expanding STEM learning opportunities and introducing students to technologies that support a cleaner, more resilient future. Most recently, NYPA expanded this effort in the Bronx by supporting the launch of hydroponic labs.
Hydroponic labs grow crops indoors using only water rather than soil, meaning plants can grow year-round in a controlled environment, with little maintenance required. This allows students to observe plant growth up-close and understand how food can be produced sustainably.
The hands-on experience reinforces lessons on the importance of climate-friendly technologies and healthy eating-- students tasting the produce that they themselves grew gives the learning added meaning.
Teachers involved with the program say that green classrooms do more than just educate on academic issues. The experience also benefits the student’s well-being and mental health. The harvesting of the plants adds a therapeutic element to the education. “When [the students] come in here, it’s such a calm and serene place that it just makes them feel happy and good all around,” said a teacher at PS250.
The Green Classroom Program complements NYPA’s broader community initiative, including recent environmental learning along the Long Island Sound. Whether caring for plants in a classroom or studying ecosystems along the shoreline, these programs help build early understanding of the issues shaping their communities and the planet.