Ben Iriland of the City’s Sanitation Recycling Team (left), Denise Felipe from the Borough President’s offi ce (center left),
I.S. 281 Principal Maria Bender (center right), and Sanitation Department Chief Andrew Pugliese (right) cut the second
ribbon on the Hydroponics Lab. Photos By Steve Solomonson
Bath Beach middle school
opens new hydroponics lab
BY AIDAN GRAHAM
Bath Beach middle schoolers can now
grow fruits and vegetables at IS 281’s
new hydroponics lab.
The school held a ribbon cutting ceremony
on May 29 to mark the offi cial
opening of the lab, where students will
learn the science of farming without
soil, according to the school’s science
teacher.
“The students really like it. The
majority of these kids have never done
anything like this,” said Antony Solino.
“They take it seriously. It’s a big responsibility
because this is a living thing.”
The school purchased the lab using a
$250,000 grant from Borough President
Eric Adam’s offi ce, which also funded
a fl ight simulator, a three dimensional
printer, and other technology projects.
Solino said the lab, which hosts more
than 100 plants, provided an opportunity
to teach kids about the wonders
of hydroponics, which uses rockwool,
mineral nutrients, and water solvent to
grow plant-life.
“You go away on Friday, and you
come back on Monday, and the plants
have grown several inches,” he said.
“It’s like elves cast a spell on it.”
Solino hopes the school can expand
the lab in future years to include more
students, grow more plants, and put the
harvest to better use.
“It’s great to be able to use the vegetables
in our own cafeteria for things like
salad, but ultimately a great goal would
be to use it to donate to a food pantry.”
COURIER L 36 IFE, JUNE 7–13, 2019 M BR B G
(From left to right) Joseph Gulino, Andrew Pugliese of the Sanitation Department, Denise
Felipe from the Borough President’s Offi ce, Jeannine Cherichetti of Councilman Mark
Treyger’s Offi ce, school Principal Maria Bender, and Science Teach Antony Solino, along
with several students, cut the ribbon on the new hydroponics lab.
I.S. 281 Principal Maria Bender shows off fresh vegetables
she picked from the lab.
Science teacher Antony Solino poses in the new lab.
City Sanitation Department Chief Andrew Pugliese
plants vegetables in the outdoor organic garden.
GARDEN PARTY
Students had a chance to see the more than 100 plants that are
hosted in the new facility.