Edible Classroom at Regency Park lum Borough
PLUM BOROUGH SCHOOL NEWS
Regency Park has a new classroom. The“ Edible Classroom,” an environment where students engage in hands-on learning by experiencing project management, growth, and sustainability, is a classroom not seen in an elementary setting. Two years ago Regency Park was awarded a grant from the Alcoa Foundation to begin teaching the students about hydroponics. At that time, Regency’ s Principal, Justin Stephans, envisioned students learning about herbs, lettuce, and plants as a result of growing them through hydroponics. Little did he know that two years later the idea of hydroponics in the classroom would“ grow.” First grade teacher, J. R. Pilyih, enjoyed the hands-on approach to learning so much that he wanted to expand on the concept. Mr. Pilyih especially enjoys hydroponics and aquaponics because it reinforces the growth mindset.
After soliciting help from other teachers and local business, Always Green, he approached Regency Park’ s current Principal, Jeff Hadley, with an idea unlike any in Plum’ s other elementary schools. Pilyih’ s idea was to convert a classroom into a“ grow room.” A room that involves growing plants, herbs, vegetables, fruit, and even raising Tilapia. Mr. Hadley was immediately on board and encouraged Mr. Pilyih to get started.
Regency students will begin by studying aquaponics and its effects on the environment. Part of this learning will include engaging students in the scientific process and comparing environments that use aquaponics with environments that
34 Plum don’ t. Next, students will create and design an aquaponics system. Throughout the year, students will be engaged in problem solving to determine how to raise and lower the ph of the water, critique the factors affecting ecosystems, and how the students can change the systems both positively and negatively. The environment in which the fish live is ever changing. Students will constantly need to problem solve in order to sustain life for the fish and vegetation. The children will need to reflect and revise each day as they collect data to ensure a beneficial habitat that supports life. Once the students have the systems stabilized and flourishing, their next goal would be to take on the roles of educator and promoter. How can the students take their knowledge of aquaponics and share it with other classrooms throughout the district? The state? The world? Using aquaponics and hydroponics, students will grow food that will be used to feed their classroom pets and provide healthy foods for the students’ lunches. Additionally, students will become“ agri-preneurs” by growing and selling their product at the school’ s Farmer’ s Market. Students will reinvest their profits into the Edible Classroom; thus learning economics, problem solving, and life experiences that demonstrate the effects of their actions.
Mr. Hadley and the Regency staff are excited to see how the new“ Edible Classroom” transforms learning for Regency’ s students. Using hydroponics and aquaponics, Regency’ s students will learn that when they don’ t get the results that they want, they reevaluate, adjust, and try again. These are wonderful lessons that the students will be able to apply to all aspects of their lives.