All photos courtesy of Laurel Highlands High School
Students at Laurel Highlands High School have participated in seed planting, plant maintenance, aquaponics system monitoring, and data collection as part of an aquaponics plant nursery initiative called Sow, Grow, and Share. The initiative is organized by Andrea Sholtis, a Chemistry and Biology teacher at Laurel Highlands High School.
Sholtis said, “The Sow, Grow and Share initiative has significantly enhanced our aquaponics lab, transforming it into a dynamic hydroponics lab that now offers students the chance to cultivate plants for personal use. Across our five classes, an array of plants are flourishing, spanning from catnip for beloved pets to marigolds destined for home gardens.”
Aquaponics is a food production system that combines aquaculture (raising fish) and hydroponics (growing plants in water). The waste produced by the fish provides nutrients for the plants, and the plants help to clean the water for the fish, creating a closed-loop system.
This initiative at Laurel Highlands High School was awarded a grant from the Community Foundation of Fayette County in 2023, through the Arthur and Millicent Gabriel Legacy Fund. The grant enabled the purchase of a 4-tier nursery and microgreen system, seedling trays, an LED 3-tier garden, plant pots, potting mix, and more.
“Embracing students of diverse abilities, from special needs to advanced placement, the initiative has fostered a shared joy in the art of planting and nurturing seeds. Particularly, students with special needs have thrived, establishing a daily routine centered around tending to their herb gardens, diligently watering and providing nutrients to their plants,” said Sholtis.
Students are experiencing hands-on learning through the Sow, Grow, and Share initiative and enhancing their understanding of sustainable agriculture, environmental science, and the aquaponics system’s role in food production.
“The foundation is happy to support engaging learning initiatives like this, through the generosity of our donors,” said Renee M. Couser, CFFC Executive Director.
