Selma High expanding hydroponics system, farm-to-fork initiative thanks to $200K grant

SELMA, Calif. (KFSN) -- At Selma High School, students are growing food that's helping feed kids across the district.

Now, they're working to expand that process thanks to a state grant.

One by one, Selma High Agriculture Teacher Robert Calvert cut cucumber sprouts out of their first home and handed them off to students.

They then planted them in the hydroponics system where they'll stay until they're ready to be harvested.

The entire process is done without soil and uses artificial light, allowing students an up-close look at how their food is grown.

"A lot of students that we have coming into our programs, they see food is just coming from the store, but they don't know what gets that food to the store first." Calvert said.

Now, Selma High is preparing to expand its hydroponics program thanks to the "Farm to School Incubator Grant Program" from the California Department of Food and Ag.

The $200,000 will also be used to tear down two outdated greenhouses and build a new one.

"One of the hard parts that we always run into is just facilities. so anytime that we can get a large grant that's going to be able to improve our facilities, is something that we really get excited about and our students get excited about." Calvert said.

The food grown here on campus serves an important purpose, feeding students in the cafeteria.

Last year, leafy greens grown at Selma High went from farm to fork for students across the district.

Senior Audrey Almendarez says she and her classmates take pride in how their produce turns out.

"It feels so good because if people say 'Oh, this lettuce is really good today' or 'Those tomatoes are really good,' and you're like 'Oh, I grew that.'" Almendarez said.

She helped install the hydroponics systems her junior year and says it's been great to watch the farm program grow.

"I just love how it went from just two orange trees and a couple vines a couple years ago and now we have hydroponics growing a whole bunch of new fields of food and all that, I just love to see it." Almendarez said.

The Director of Child Nutrition Jason Hoopes says the grant funding is going to expand students learning opportunities.

"It's going to allow us to expand on not just leafy greens, but tomatoes, cucumbers, squashes, cauliflower, broccoli -- all the things that we have to order in, but we can get it here." Hoopes said.

All of the food will end up on student's plates across the district.

He says the students eating it will also get the opportunity to learn what makes it nutritious.

Ag teacher Robert Calvert says he's excited for student to have more opportunities to learn.

"We really see those students really light up when they get to actually get their hands dirty, get their hands on those plans and then just those real world connections, I think really makes an impact." Calvert said.

Some of the grant funding will also go toward a new tractor which will allow students to plant and grow row crops right on campus.

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