This school is growing lettuce — and eco-warriors!
Students and staff at Williamsburg’s PS 84 celebrated the opening of a massive new rooftop greenhouse on Feb. 26, where parents hope their offspring will learn hands-on science lessons that could one day save the planet.
“This a generation of stewards of this planet, for environmental and climate change stress,” said Diana Zelvin, vice-president of the school’s parent-teacher association.
The high-tech hydroponic hothouse will also help kids develop futuristic gardening skills, Zelvin said — the facility is filled with soil-free herb and vegetable gardens and also features an “aquaponics” tank where pupils can harvest fish poop for plant food.
“It’s basically sustainable urban farming,” she said.
The living classroom has been a long time in the making — parents first came up with the idea four years ago, and then cobbled together funds from politicians and private donors to make it happen.
The Borough President thought it was such a great idea, he earmarked more than $150,000 in taxpayer funds last year to build similar indoor farms at a dozen educational institutions.
