Eagle Ridge pilots hydroponic garden system, connecting students to the food they eat

Building agricultural literacy in students while providing fresh greens for meals

Thanks to a collaboration between District 191 Food and Nutrition Services and Eagle Ridge Middle School (ERMS) staff, students at the school have the exciting opportunity to harvest greens through hydroponic technology. 

Hydroponics is the technique of growing plants using a water-based nutrient solution rather than soil. Hydroponic systems are used mostly by small farmers, hobbyists and commercial enterprises, but they are becoming increasingly popular among schools and nonprofits as a way to grow their own food. 

After determining a school with ample kitchen space and identifying staff to facilitate the growing process, One91 Food and Nutrition Services Director Julie Kronabetter partnered with Fork Farms to bring a vertical hydroponics system to ERMS. It’s the first school in District 191 to install an indoor garden to harvest food for school meals and snacks. 

The indoor garden is also an impactful way for students to learn how to grow fresh food. Students learn about the science behind hydroponics, fostering a deeper understanding of STEM, agricultural technologies and sustainability practices. Not only does the garden empower students to grow their own leafy greens, herbs and vegetables for their school, but it also provides a cost-effective way to produce fresh food on site for the school.

“I’m thrilled to be a part of this project and introducing students and staff to hydroponic gardening,” said District 191 Food and Nutrition Services Director Julie Kronabetter. “We are excited to partner with the school and with sixth-grade science teacher Liza Nicklin, who has helped get the system up and running. Food grown at ERMS may supplement or possibly replace some of our current food purchases. If successful and future school or community partners are identified, we hope to add more units.”   

Fueling exploration through hands-on learning  

The hydroponics lesson and curriculum is currently a stand apart curriculum each day during the students’ FLEX time, when they rotate through math and reading support and other learning opportunities.

At every stage, from the initial set-up of the system to the first harvest, students were involved in the growing process. While there were some students who had a basic understanding of gardening, others had no experience at all. 

“I’ve planted vegetables in a garden with the help of my grandmother, but I’ve never used a system like this before,” said Lillian Torres Garzon, sixth grader. I thought it was pretty cool to have this machine where we could plant vegetables indoors.

“I really enjoyed watching the plants grow. Seeing that we actually made that happen was pretty exciting,” Lillian added.

Sixth-grader Heidi Guerrero Hernandez has had a lot of experience gardening with her family members — growing a variety of fruits and vegetables such as cucumber, strawberries and squash. She has never used a hydroponics system either, but she was excited to use one because her mom has been interested in getting one for their family. 

“I really enjoyed learning how to build the hydroponics system and also working with my friends and classmates to grow lettuce and basil,” said Heidi. “I think hydroponics is a great alternative to growing foods outdoors.” 

By the end of the school year, it’s expected that each sixth-grade student will participate in the growing process in some way, but all ERMS students will have had the opportunity to observe the garden and taste the food that is grown.

"The hydroponics garden system has been a great addition to Eagle Ridge,” said ERMS Principal Dave Helke. “There are so many careers in the food industry, so we are fortunate to have this opportunity for exploration. Not only have students been excited to learn the science behind growing their own food, but they have been eager to eat what they’ve harvested!”

Teacher Liza Nicklin says that, while there has been a steep learning curve to hydroponics, the plan this year is to perfect the growing process with students. Students and staff alike are already learning what’s working and what’s not. Nicklin looks forward to growing new types of fruits and/or vegetables next year but wants to ensure that students have a voice in the planning. 

“Kids have really enjoyed the opportunity to be hands-on with all aspects of this garden – germination, planting, testing the soil, harvesting and, of course, tasting the fruits of their labor!” said Nicklin. “The hydroponics project has transformed our classroom into a living laboratory, where hands-on experience meets scientific inquiry. Students have gained valuable skills such as teamwork, problem-solving and critical thinking. This hands-on approach has not only reinforced scientific concepts but has ignited students’ passion for learning.”

Middle School Pathways

At the middle school level, Pathways learning is designed to foster exploration and nurture creativity as students consider their future. We’re serious about building inclusive spaces because it gives students the best chance to continue healthy self-discovery as they bridge into our high school experience.

Learn more about District 191 Pathways at www.isd191.org/pathways.