Growing Education in the Stockbridge School District

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peuav6kv0KY]

Stockbridge is growing education in a unique way. Since the start of this school year,  principal Chad Marx,  teachers and students have been  welcoming “Sprouter”, an Indoor Growing Machine designed by Alex Tyink, Head of Lettuce, for  the Goodwill Grows program. This program is designed to increase the availability and affordability of fresh food and promote Goodwill’s Indoor Farming System.

Sprouter, consists of eight stainless steel and PVC box panels linked together around grow lights to form an enclosed octagon. A box panel is 12 inches wide, 60 inches high and 2.5 inches deep and contains 33 growing slots.

Nutrient enriched water is pumped from a tank at Sprouter’s feet to the top of each box panel. The water then trickles down the inside of the panel and feeds the plant roots coming out the downside of the growing slots. Sprouter’s 264 nutrient enriched growing slots can produce a leafy lettuce crop each month; or approximately 900 lbs. of leafy produce a year – all within a twelve foot square area.

8 thoughts on “Growing Education in the Stockbridge School District

  1. I was privileged to help set up “Sprouter” at the Stockbridge School, and meet the parent that led the charge to get this great project financed and in the public school system. There is nothing like the joy on kids’ faces when they see the seeds that they planted growing into wonderful lettuce and greens to enjoy in their school lunchroom. Kudos to a small district like this having the momentum and backing to see this project through to “harvest.” Other school districts should consider doing the same to add much needed “food access” and “food security” lessons to their curriculum. We all eat food every day. It’s time to put the basics of how food is grown into our kids’ lessons!

  2. It’s amazing to watch the students learn and be excited about the machine. When they see the plants grow and they are involved in the entire process, they want to try new foods that they might not like or haven’t tried before. I am grateful to be part of such a huge success story.

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