Article by Phoenix writer Victoria Vakser ’26:
For two months now, the Entrepreneurship Club has been in the process of growing its own garden right in room 203. Where did they place the plots with all the soil? They didn’t need any!
The plants, which include basil, arugula, kale, rainbow chard, and bibb lettuce, are planted in small alcoves placed around a five-foot-tall cylindrical structure called a hydroponic tower.
Instead of soil, the seeds are planted in little boxes of rock wool (fiber made from rocks and minerals) that are showered automatically with water from the tower. For each plant to receive the sunlight it needs, the tower is simply rotated for different plants to face the window.
“It’s definitely prompted a lot of questions,” Informed Mrs. Frem, whose Environmental classroom the tower is in. “I think people have come to realize how environmentally friendly these projects can be. They don’t require soil, they can grow in winter, and they recycle the water they use.”
In two months, the tower has only used up two gallons of water. In addition, the tower does not require any electricity to provide heat or warmth– the only energy used is the minimum needed to operate the water sprinklers.
This project was held in conjunction with the “Grow New York” program, a business competition focused on improving agriculture. Recently, the plants have been harvested and shared with the Culinary Club. Junior Jenna Paladino, a member of the Culinary Club, was thrilled with the opportunity to include some school-grown food in the club’s recipes:
“That was our first meeting, and we used the plants to make chicken wraps. It was really fun to include ingredients that were grown right here in school and that are healthy as well! It shows how simple, easy, and rewarding it is to use a sustainable method of growing food.”
The Entrepreneurship Club’s interaction with Culinary Club and Environmental Science is an exhibition of Kellenberg’s array of extracurricular activities collaborating in extraordinary ways.
