Tulsa students learn urban farming from Food On The Move

Middle school students at Monroe Demonstration Academy are learning about urban farming through a partnership with Food On The Move.

The nonprofit helped the school start an after school garden club five years ago and it has since grown into a full course that teaches the students how STEM applies to the real world.

Urban Farming Class

The course is offered every weekday at Monroe Demonstration Academy as an elective for students in 6-8th grade.

Through hands-on demonstrations, the students are learning about healthy eating, farming, and careers in agriculture. "In this class we establish STEM education and give them assignments that actually incorporate agriculture," said Jahlin Williams, one of the teachers for the class.

The class uses unconventional farming methods like aquaponics and hydroponics. Aquaponics takes the waste from fish to provide nutrients for the plants. Hydroponics is when the students add nutrients to the water. Both are done in the classroom.

"To introduce this new way of farming indoors in a state like Oklahoma, where the weather may not always be the best, it is great that we can grow 52 weeks out of every year to provide food to people with lower costs associated to it," said Rusty Rowe, Program Director for Food On The Move.

Hands-on Science

In the class, the students are designing and maintaining systems to grow plants while learning about physiology and nutrition. "They take care of the plant, water the plant, see if there is any root growth, watch the quality of how the seeds are actually growing, and how the plant is looking," said Mr. Williams.

Then on Friday's the class gets to use what they have grown and cook with it. They also learn the nutrition facts behind their food. This week the class made black bean quesadillas. 8th grader Marqhayla Jackson said, "Now that I know beans are really healthy, I am probably going to start eating them a lot."

Donnie Littrel is also a student in the class and said Fridays are his favorite. "I love learning about how it can actually benefit me, so I can have a more healthier lifestyle, and I can actually make this at home sometimes too," he said.

Food On The Move Partnership

Food On The Move is a Tulsa nonprofit organization that is dedicated to transforming food deserts and addressing food insecurity. Since their school is in a part of Tulsa with limited access to grocery stores, the students are also helping solve these challenges.

"It increases access to better food, it also educates the children about where food comes from, and how to grow it themselves," said Rowe.