PS 158 Warwick, Brooklyn — Celebrates the Official Opening of their Hydroponic Classroom

PS 158 staff, elected officials, NY Sun Works staff, and students

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries and first grade students

We harvested 14 lbs of vegetables for students to take home!

A NY Sun Works Hydroponic Farm Classroom is officially open at PS 158 Warwick Elementary School in Brooklyn, NYC.

Learning about different vegetables and recipes is a lot of fun, and so is cooking and trying new things. I hope to have this class next school year!”

— Mason, second grader

BROOKLYN, NY, USA, January 25, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A NY Sun Works Hydroponic Farm Classroom is officially open at PS 158 Warwick Elementary School in Brooklyn. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, City Council Member Sandy Nurse, and District Superintendent Tamra Collins, joined Principal Towles and partner NY Sun Works, to unveil the state-of-the-art hydroponic classroom.

The farm classroom at PS 158 will serve as a hands-on and project-based space for the learning of science, climate, and nutrition education. Students will grow and eat nutritious food year-round while learning critical science topics.

The PS 158 NY Sun Works farm classroom 

was funded by former Brooklyn Borough President, and now NYC Mayor, Eric Adams as part of his initiative to improve STEM education and access to nutritious food as he invested in the next generation of scientists, climate leaders, and farmers of the future. Throughout his tenure as borough president, Eric Adams funded a total of 74 hydroponic classrooms in Brooklyn public schools.

While emphasizing the value of a true partnership, Manuela Zamora, Executive Director of NY Sun Works added, “We are honored to work with Principal Towles and her

team at PS 158 to bring 21st-century science and sustainability education into the public school classroom. The hydroponic lab will provide students with the opportunity to grow food while learning hands-on about science and climate education as well as nutrition, food justice, and community service.”

“The mission of P.S. 158K is to provide a collaborative environment between school, home, and the community that will develop rigorous academic achievement, promoting critical thinking and supporting the social and emotional needs of our students to become global thinkers of the future. Aligning with District 19's commitment to STEM education, the Hydroponic Lab opens the door for our students to explore, create and develop innovative ideas to develop solutions around providing healthy food choices for students and families in our community.

Thank you, Mayor Adams, for your support to ensure our students at PS158K and District 19 have the STEM resources they need to become global thinkers of the future. The seed you have sown in their lives today will bear much fruit for their future. Thank you NY Sun Works for your partnership to support our Hydroponic Lab," added Principal Towles.

D19 Superintendent Dr. Tamra Collins stated, “District 19 is committed to ensuring its students are provided with all the real-world experiences and opportunities that STEM education has to offer. Our district acknowledges the importance of tapping into a child’s natural curiosity, creativity, and innovation in order to ensure the development of their critical thinking skills. We work collaboratively across the district to make it a reality. Thank you, Mayor Adams, for your continued support in ensuring District 19 students have access to state-of-the-art STEM tools and resources. Your efforts ensure that these children will be the generation of innovators equipped with the skills, passion, and opportunities to change the world!”

The hydroponic classroom at PS 158 is more than an urban farm as it brings the Pre-K through 5th-grade community together. Students will explore Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) + sustainability topics while growing food with cutting-edge technology. The average NY Sun Works hydroponic classroom produces more than 500 pounds of vegetables per school year!

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries stated, "What a blessing to be able to see this combination of understanding the importance of our climate and of nature, but of also—healthy eating. I look forward to doing everything I can in my capacity as your representative in Washington to make sure that all children get the highest quality of education possible so that they can be anything and everything that they want to be."

"A hydroponics garden is going to be familiar to these young kids forever in their lives, something that I had never seen or thought of in my time. What we need to do is continue to do that work. I'm just so grateful that Eric Adams as borough president helped do this—I hope that I can match that type of energy and that effort and that investment and that I continue to help. You will have a partner in me, and I'm looking forward to this long-term relationship where, again, we expect more of our children and we get more from our children," stated Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso.

And lastly, second-grader Mason shared “Learning about different vegetables and recipes is a lot of fun, and so is cooking and trying new things. I hope to have this class next school year!”

About the PS 158 Warwick Elementary School
The Mission of PS 158K is to provide a collaborative environment between school, home and the community that will develop rigorous academic achievement, promote critical thinking and support the social and emotional needs of our students becoming global thinkers of the future.

About NY Sun Works
NY Sun Works builds hydroponic farm classrooms in NYC K-12th public schools. NY Sun Works envisions a generation of environmental innovators, empowered to create solutions to global resource challenges. For more information, visit www.nysunworks.org.
Follow NY Sun Works at: @nysunworks