Cultivating Future Scientists: How NY Sun Works Inspires Students with Hydroponics

Turning NY classrooms into urban farms

Across New York City, classrooms are being transformed into thriving urban farms. Instead of traditional fields, students are tending to rows of leafy greens, fragrant herbs, and even small orchards grown in hydroponic systems right inside their schools. 

Leading this movement is NY Sun Works, a nonprofit that inspires the next generation of environmental innovators by giving students the tools, knowledge, and confidence to grow food in new and sustainable ways.

Founded in 2010, NY Sun Works partners with more than 370 schools and reaches over 140,000 students every year. Their mission is clear and powerful: to provide sustainability science and climate education, engaging students as hands-on participants in solving global environmental challenges.

Hands-on science with a lasting impact

Step inside a hydroponic classroom and you will find students testing water, adjusting nutrient solutions, and observing how plants respond to changing conditions. Here, the science becomes tangible, no longer confined to textbooks but alive in their hands.

For many students, this is the first time they have connected what they learn in science class with real-world systems. The impact goes far beyond the classroom walls.

When students grow their own food, they eat it. 96% say they’re willing to try what they harvest. In the process, they build healthier food habits and gain valuable STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) experience.

Taking science further with aquaponics

Some schools take the science even further by introducing aquaponics, a system that combines aquaculture (raising fish) with hydroponics (growing plants in water). In this closed-loop ecosystem, fish produce nutrients that feed the plants, while the plants help filter and clean the water for the fish.

For students, aquaponics is a powerful demonstration of how natural cycles work together.

It shows them the relationships of food systems and gives them the chance to explore biology, chemistry, and ecology all in one living lab. Bluelab tools help ensure these systems stay healthy, so students can focus on learning and discovery.

Reliable measurements for learning

Hydroponics depends on balance: the right pH, the right Conductivity (EC), and the right environment. To help students learn how to achieve that balance, NY Sun Works equips its classrooms with Bluelab pH Pens and Bluelab Conductivity Pens.

These Pens allow students to:

• Test: pH, EC and temperature levels in real time

• Experiment: See cause and effect when adjusting nutrient solutions

• Learn: Build science skills through measurement, analysis, and problem-solving

In a setting where every detail matters, reliable tools make it possible for students to succeed.

Building a more sustainable tomorrow

Bluelab is proud to support NY Sun Works in their mission to equip students with the knowledge and tools to grow sustainably. By learning how to measure, monitor, and manage living systems, students gain practical science skills that prepare them for future challenges.