Portsmouth City School’s “Grow Up” program just got a glow-up, with the delivery of a shipping container to teach students urban gardening.
Portsmouth High School teachers Leonard Poage, Wes Hartman, Tony Lavinder, and principal Doug Poage presented the “Grow Up Portsmouth” program to the school board on Sept. 22. During their presentation to the school board, the teachers showed images of garden towers that they were adding to the classrooms. Each tower can grow up to 32 plants.
The food they produce will be used within the district itself, as much as possible, and if there is extra it will be shared with local pantries and programs like the Stephen A. Hunter Backpack Program.
“Urban gardening initiatives are a big deal in a lot of major cities across America, transforming spaces into places to green places to grow food. We really like the hydroponics angle because of the STEM component,” Hartman said. “Our world, our economy, and our jobs are changing. We’re going to be seeing more hydroponic-style agriculture. Any skill we give any of our students to give them an advantage is going to be a positive thing.”
In November, the program received a shipping container that has been modified and customized by an organization called CropBox to grow leafy greens, fruits, and other vegetables in an enclosed, climate-controlled environment. The box was made available through a combination of state and federal grants, along with local district funding.
“It was delivered last Thursday (Nov. 30) and it is sitting behind the building now,” Hartman said.
The district will complete the installation and students are expected to begin using the new container facility as part of their science and social studies classes in early 2024. Urban gardening classes will be added for junior high and high school students beginning in the 2024-25 school year.
For more information about Portsmouth City Schools, visit them online at www.portsmouthtrojans.net, or follow the school’s page on Facebook.