Tijeras, N.M. (KKOB) — Roosevelt Middle Schoolers are celebrating the fifth anniversary of a special project teaching them the ways of futuristic farming. It’s all thanks to science teacher Steve Mcguinness and his Smart Farm. The journey began in 2017 when Mcguinness was teaching at Manzano High School in Albuquerque. He asked his class a simple question, “What are the major challenges facing food production in the future?” The question grew into a research project on how to sustainably grow food indoors. Later that year, with the help of some grant funding from the APS Education Foundation, the students built the first Smart Farm in Albuquerque Public Schools.
Two years later, Mcguinness moved to Roosevelt and started the project with his students there. Eager 11-year-olds built the farm with hopes of learning how to improve not only the health of the planet but also to learn more about engineering, farming, sustainability, and STEM careers. Now, sixth graders are carrying on their legacy year after year. In this week’s Good News File, News Radio KKOB’s Haylee Gonzales takes you into the lab where students bring their smarts and gardening skills together.
To donate to Mr. Mcguinness’s project email him at [email protected].
