| agriculture and aquaculture | The six-year effort is led by |
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| hands-on learning opportunity. | KYSU Extension Associate Ken |
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| He recommended Russellville | Thompson and aims to create |
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| High School as a potential pilot | hands on, experiential learning |
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| site for a KYSU Land Grant | opportunities in order to |
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| Program research and Extension | engage students in aquaculture |
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| effort funded by a Capacity | education. The grant was funded |
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| Building Grant from the U.S. | in 2017 making Russellville High |
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| Department of Agriculture's | School a great location to build a |
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| National Institute for Food and | small indoor aquaponics system |
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| Agriculture (USDA-NIFA). | in the biology classroom. |
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At the end of the Spring 2018 semester, students harvested their first batch of fish from the system and prepared a farm-to-table meal for teachers that included the fish and the vegetables grown as part of the aquaponics system.
As a result of the hands-
on learning set up, more and
more students have shown
interest in learning about aquaculture and agriculture at the school. Russellville High developed a course in aquaponics last year, and its students are currently utilizing the classroom and the greenhouse aquaponics systems to bring agriculture into the classroom.
Aquaponics is a combination of hydroponics (growing plants in water instead of soil) and aquaculture (growing marine animals) in one system.
Tilapia are one of the most popular species raised in aquaponics systems because they can survive in wider pH, temperature and ammonia ranges than other fish species. Additionally, they are fast growing and very efficient at converting food into body mass.