From Seed to Plate; Hydroponic vertical planters awarded to 20 Wyoming schools including two in Green River

From Seed to Plate; Hydroponic vertical planters awarded to 20 Wyoming schools including two in Green River

CHEYENNE – Twenty schools throughout Wyoming have been awarded a hydroponic, vertical growing planter, and accessories through the “From Seed to Plate” program. Two schools in Sweetwater County School District No. 2, Lincoln Middle School and Monroe Intermediate, were chosen to take part in the program.

Funded by a grant awarded to the WDE Nutrition Department by the United States Department of Agriculture, the planters are to introduce schools to a school garden and are required to tie into the school’s wellness policy.

Schools have been awarded the planters based on applications detailing how they intend to use them. Some schools have developed entire curricula around the planters, others will develop extra-curricular programs, some will apply it to their culinary arts programs, and one intends to use the vegetables they produce in an organic salad bar for school lunches.

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Proposed lesson topics include the science of hydroponics, local and self sustainability, nutrition, biology, and biodiversity. Whatever the lesson, the planters will facilitate hands-on, inquiry-based learning.

Tomatoes, lettuce and other leafy greens, and herbs, were the most popular plants suggested for growth in the planters. Other fruits and vegetables will be grown by students and include strawberries, peppers, cucumbers, garlic, beans, and other ingredients needed for a balanced, nutritional plate.

The schools that have been awarded the grant funded planters are
• Central High – Cheyenne
• Glendo Elementary – Glendo
• Goins Elementary – Cheyenne
• Greybull Middle – Greybull
• Hanna Elementary – Hanna
• Lakeview Elementary – Gillette
• Lincoln Middle – Green River
• Southeast High – Yoder
• Sunset Elementary – Cody
• Monroe Intermediate – Green River
• Newcastle High – Newcastle
• Park Elementary – Casper
• Saratoga Elementary – Saratoga
• Snowy Range Academy – Laramie
• Star Valley Middle – Afton
• Thayne Elementary – Thayne
• Thermopolis Middle – Thermopolis
• Twin Spruce Junior High – Gillette
• Woodland Park Elementary – Sheridan
• Worland Middle – Worland