Kermit R. Booker Elementary School is implementing its first Hydroponics program after a $10,000 donation from The Las Vegas Rotary Club. The donation will go towards Green Our Planet’s comprehensive STEM school garden and hydroponics program, “Hydro Connect.”
Hydro Connect is designed to encourage STEM education nationwide and to connect students with the science behind sustainable farming practices, encouraging a hands-on approach to learning and environmental stewardship. To support the installation, members of the Rotary Club met with the garden club students and teachers to discuss the program and its impact.
“We are proud to continue to support Green Our Planet,” said Toni Kern, president of Rotary Club of Las Vegas, a civic service organization that has been supporting Green Our Planet for the past three years. “It’s more than a donation, it’s an investment in our children’s and our planet’s future. It’s amazing what we can achieve when we come together for a common purpose.”
Hydroponics is a popular method of growing produce without soil or natural light—instead using water, a nutrient solution and LED grow lights. Ideal for small spaces, hydroponic systems can be used year-round and are an easy, efficient way to grow produce without the upkeep required by a traditional garden.
The Las Vegas Rotary Club’s donation supplied the school with 19 table-top hydroponics systems, a large commercial hydroponics system and a diverse range of curricula covering K-12 Hydroponics STEM, MS-HS Health, K-12 Financial Literacy and a culturally responsive hydroponics framework.
Kern said Green Our Planet is one of hundreds of local organizations the club has sponsored in recent years and supports its mission of teaching youth to succeed through literacy, education and life skills development.
Green Our Planet hosts a semi-annual student farmer’s market where students can sell the produce they have grown throughout the year and learn valuable life skills. All profits from the farmer’s market are re-invested into school garden programs. The next market will be held on April 19.
For more information on “Hydroponics Connect” and other Green Our Planet programs, please visit www.greenourplanet.org.
To learn more about The Las Vegas Rotary Club, visit https://lasvegasrotary.com.
ABOUT ROTARY INTERNATIONAL AND THE LAS VEGAS ROTARY CLUB
Rotary International is a worldwide fellowship and service organization with 1.2 million members in 200 countries, with 32,000 clubs. Established in 1923 as part of Rotary International, the Las Vegas Rotary Club is the first and largest Rotary Club in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Rotary Club meets for lunch and fellowship every Thursday at Lawry’s The Prime Rib. To learn more about the Club and service projects, visit https://lasvegasrotary.com.
-END-
