Hydroponics in Schools--An Educational Tool
There are two debts that can never be repaid. The first is to our parents and family, the second is to our teachers for educating us and preparing us for the challenges, opportunities that confront us every day of our lives. As a society, we have failed to sufficiently recognize and reward the contributions of our teachers. Politicians cut school budgets while increasing investments in police and prisons--investments in failure. There is no finer investment for a nation than education.
From time to time, a particular teacher will stand out. Such an exceptional teacher is Vonneke Miller of the Peterson Middle School, located in Sunnyvale, California, in the heart of the famed Silicon Valley. While attending a summer “Space Camp” several years ago, she came up with the idea of building a space capsule with her students. As they “travel” through space and do the sorts of things that astronauts might do, the students learn and apply basic scientific concepts.
The project began to take shape in 1992 and now two simulated space capsules are part of the science lab and classroom. One is equipped to monitor the astronauts’ vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure and temperature as they perform tasks. The other capsule is dedicated to growing vegetables hydroponically, as would have to be done to provide sustenance on extended missions.
