Bronx teens going green with Hydroponics
By KAT MCGRORY
DAILY NEWS WRITER
Brittany Jacobs (l.), 14, and Manuel Tejeda, 11, participants of after-school program at New South Bronx Police Athletic League, measure their plants as they learn about hydroponics, the science of growing plants in nutrient-rich water rather than soil.
A tree might grow in Brooklyn, but basil, lettuce and cabbage grow on a rooftop in the South Bronx.
"You wouldn't expect to see all of these plants growing in the Bronx because we're in the middle of a city," said 11-year-old Crystal Melendez as she inspected a freshly picked basil plant. "But this is like our own little farm. Except without the dirt."
Crystal and nearly 1,000 of her peers at the New South Bronx Police Athletic League in Longwood are learning about hydroponics, the science of growing plants in nutrient-rich water rather than soil.
Students in the after-school program not only learn about agriculture and biology, they plant, pick and package the produce in the league's rooftop hydroponics lab and even help sell it to local supermarkets.
"Our goal is to make science fun, interactive and hands-on," said the league's science coordinator Katharine Panessidi, a recent University of Massachusetts grad. "It isn't school. It's after school."
The rooftop hydroponics cell is an urban oasis where bright green heads of lettuce spring from futuristic-looking white pipes. Water splashes into blue pools. The smell of sweet basil permeates the air.
Winter weather will force a smaller version of the program indoors, but Panessidi said that hopefully with some new funding they "love to see a year-round rooftop greenhouse built."
When the kids arrive, the scene is anything but relaxing. The young scientists flutter around, eager to get their hands on the plants.
"Our students love the hydroponics cell," said Tom Rosatti, director of the Longwood league. "It is definitely one of the favorite activities around here."
The hydroponics program is run in conjunction with the Cornell University Cooperation Extension. The cell was built in 1996 by Philson A. A. Warner, the Cornell University agriculturist who pioneered modern hydroponics.
The students, whose ages range from 6 to 13, participate in every aspect of the project.
The process is simple: the plants' roots are suspended in PVC pipes and bathed constantly in a secret nutrient formula developed by Warner. In the hydroponics cell, plants grow quickly because they expend little energy searching for nutrients, Warner said.
Students also learn about the marketplace. Each year, they raise more than $5,000 from produce sales to area Gristedes. These funds cover nearly the entire operational costs of the cell, including the agricultural supplies and classroom materials.
"This is a deliberate strategy," said Warner. "The youngsters must be able to understand the science. Then, they must be able to connect to the real world and see the produce they grow in the marketplace."
The remaining funds come from the league, Cornell and donations, Panessidi said.
Over the past five years, the hydroponics program has made a scientific splash in the South Bronx. The first 15 students to take part in the hydroponics program in 1996 all graduated from college this May. One even pursued a degree in agriculture.
At just 11 years old, participant Justin Melendez, of Hunts Point, has high hopes of doing just that.
"The roots were all tangled up," said Justin as he plucked a basil plant from a PVC pipe. "This is hard work, but it is really fun.
"I think I'm going to study science in college one day."
DAILY NEWS WRITER
Brittany Jacobs (l.), 14, and Manuel Tejeda, 11, participants of after-school program at New South Bronx Police Athletic League, measure their plants as they learn about hydroponics, the science of growing plants in nutrient-rich water rather than soil.
A tree might grow in Brooklyn, but basil, lettuce and cabbage grow on a rooftop in the South Bronx.
"You wouldn't expect to see all of these plants growing in the Bronx because we're in the middle of a city," said 11-year-old Crystal Melendez as she inspected a freshly picked basil plant. "But this is like our own little farm. Except without the dirt."
Crystal and nearly 1,000 of her peers at the New South Bronx Police Athletic League in Longwood are learning about hydroponics, the science of growing plants in nutrient-rich water rather than soil.
Students in the after-school program not only learn about agriculture and biology, they plant, pick and package the produce in the league's rooftop hydroponics lab and even help sell it to local supermarkets.
"Our goal is to make science fun, interactive and hands-on," said the league's science coordinator Katharine Panessidi, a recent University of Massachusetts grad. "It isn't school. It's after school."
The rooftop hydroponics cell is an urban oasis where bright green heads of lettuce spring from futuristic-looking white pipes. Water splashes into blue pools. The smell of sweet basil permeates the air.
Winter weather will force a smaller version of the program indoors, but Panessidi said that hopefully with some new funding they "love to see a year-round rooftop greenhouse built."
When the kids arrive, the scene is anything but relaxing. The young scientists flutter around, eager to get their hands on the plants.
"Our students love the hydroponics cell," said Tom Rosatti, director of the Longwood league. "It is definitely one of the favorite activities around here."
The hydroponics program is run in conjunction with the Cornell University Cooperation Extension. The cell was built in 1996 by Philson A. A. Warner, the Cornell University agriculturist who pioneered modern hydroponics.
The students, whose ages range from 6 to 13, participate in every aspect of the project.
The process is simple: the plants' roots are suspended in PVC pipes and bathed constantly in a secret nutrient formula developed by Warner. In the hydroponics cell, plants grow quickly because they expend little energy searching for nutrients, Warner said.
Students also learn about the marketplace. Each year, they raise more than $5,000 from produce sales to area Gristedes. These funds cover nearly the entire operational costs of the cell, including the agricultural supplies and classroom materials.
"This is a deliberate strategy," said Warner. "The youngsters must be able to understand the science. Then, they must be able to connect to the real world and see the produce they grow in the marketplace."
The remaining funds come from the league, Cornell and donations, Panessidi said.
Over the past five years, the hydroponics program has made a scientific splash in the South Bronx. The first 15 students to take part in the hydroponics program in 1996 all graduated from college this May. One even pursued a degree in agriculture.
At just 11 years old, participant Justin Melendez, of Hunts Point, has high hopes of doing just that.
"The roots were all tangled up," said Justin as he plucked a basil plant from a PVC pipe. "This is hard work, but it is really fun.
"I think I'm going to study science in college one day."
posted by Yonner at 1:03 PM
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