The school's first tank and pump came from Kentucky State— and “all of the knowledge,” Hay said. “We didn’t have a clue; we had zero experience with it.” Dr. Ken Thompson and John Kelso of Kentucky State have helped over the years, from setting up systems to helping get rid of fish diseases.
Students built much of their equipment by hand— the type of hands-on activities that help Lilly learn.
From the moment the fifth period class started on a January afternoon, the students got to work. One fed the tilapia Students built much of their equipment by hand— the type of hands-on activities that help Lilly learn.
“It can be easy. Some days, it’s complex, gives your brain a workout,” he said.
Now that seventh grader Xachary has learned about aquaponics systems, he and his family are considering building one at home.
Kentucky State University has partnered with nearly 20 high schools, as well as middle schools, to get aquaponics into classrooms.
“Aquaculture and aquaponics are a good fit because it’s fun growing living aquatic animals and plants in a controlled environment,” said Ken Thompson, state specialist for 4-H youth development in Kentucky State’s School of Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences. “It’s real-life, applied activities that may help increase their aspirations, motivation, and interest to learn more about STEM and related career paths.”
that may help increase their aspirations, motivation, and interest to learn more about STEM and related career paths."
These efforts have been funded by two USDA capacity building grants, one for nearly $150,000 that ran from 2017 to 2021 and the current one, which provides another $150,000 through 2024.
In 2022, Kentucky State finished an Aquaculture Teacher's Manual, with instructions and assignments for
aquaponics education with high school students.
“Through aquaponics education, students obtain problem-solving and decision-making skills that extend beyond the classroom,” Thompson said. Simons Middle School in Fleming County and Eminence High School in Henry County are two of the schools that currently have aquaponics systems.
Eminence High School’s relationship with aquaponics and Kentucky State University predated Ceralde’s tenure there, and she has been working since 2017 with Kentucky State’s Dr. Ken Thompson. First she incorporated aquaponics tanks into her biology class for a lesson about carrying capacity in the ecology unit. Now she teaches aquaponics as an elective science course.
Senior Andrew Guenther was excited to take an aquaponics course.
In addition to introducing students to STEM careers in general, the goal is recruiting students to Kentucky State for their undergraduate degree.
“Aquaponics is going to continue to be more and more important in our industries, so knowing how to grow your own fish and your own food in an enclosed system, regardless of what it's like outside— that's a skill that's really useful.”
Simons Middle School in Fleming County and Eminence High School in Henry County are two of the schools that currently have aquaponics systems.
“It combines both the hands-on factor and taking notes,” Andrew said, a balance not often present in high school classrooms. “One day we’re taking notes and we’re studying, and I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m so tired of this.’ And the next day, we’re doing hands-on stuff.”
“I’ve got more greens,” said teacher Brad Hay, harvesting more lettuce from the top row of one of Simons Middle School’s aquaponics systems.
Students retrieved the lettuce then weighed and bagged it before taking it to the cafeteria for use in school lunches.
Hay and fellow teacher Paul King teach the classes for Cougar Hill Farm, a growing-and-selling operation run by students. The farm is sustained by sales revenue, grants and partnerships from organizations such as Kentucky State University, and selling Ale-8 drinks to students.
Simons Middle School has had aquaponics systems for about four years and now has several, ranging from tabletop to commercial systems.
in the tank; Hay harvested the lettuce that was then processed by students; two other students prepared the seedlings to take the harvested lettuce's place. Other students went to work outside, where the greenhouse and compost are, while others sold products or searched Amazon for the best deals on materials.
Getting to run a business with classmates is a unique experience, said Patrick, an eighth-grade student.
Eminence High School, Henry County Many students in Karin Ceralde's aquaponics elective course at Eminence High School learn about agriculture for the first time.
“Many of them are sort of small-town living,” Ceralde said. “So if they have any experience, it’s growing some tomato plants in the backyard.”
Lilly, another eighth grader, was interested in aquaponics because she lives on a farm.
In Ceralde’s classroom, students learn how to grow plants without soil and with fish and water.
“[Aquaponics] interested me because it’s a new way of farming, it’s more advanced,” Lilly said. Eminence High School, Henry County Many students in Karin Ceralde’s aquaponics elective course at Eminence High School learn about agriculture for the first time.
“It’s a great way to introduce some of them who haven’t had any experience growing things before,” Ceralde said. “Aquaponics is going to continue to be more and more important in our industries, so knowing how to grow your own fish and your own food in an enclosed system, regardless of what it’s like outside— that’s a skill that’s really useful.”
Ceralde gives students different rotating assignments related to the aquaponics systems so they can learn multiple parts of the process. The assigned botanist takes care of the plants, for example, while the environmental engineer does the water testing.
“I like the fact that this whole class is revolved around teamwork and helping each other,” Andrew said.
TOP LEFT: Students feed koi fish in their aquaponics system at Eminence High School in Eminence, Kentucky, on Jan. 24, 2023. | Photo by Jonathan Palmer BOTTOM LEFT: Karin Ceralde, left, answers questions about microgreens growing in aquaponics tanks at Eminence High School in Eminence, Kentucky, on Jan. 24, 2023. | Photo by Jonathan Palmer RIGHT: Brad Hay harvests lettuce from an aquaponics system for processing by students at Simons Middle School in Fleming County, Kentucky, on Jan. 13, 2023. | Photo by Kris Chappel