Amy Sapp, Mitch Green, Lucas Findlay, Ashley Couey, Kristyn Lopez, Allan Gehrisch and Katina Terry

The team’s innovative project, “Comparing Garden Systems,” will allow students to explore the benefits and challenges of three types of food production — aquaponic, hydroponic and traditional gardens — while providing fresh, organic food for the school community. The project’s goal is to impact hunger in the local community while giving students an active learning experience in which they can engineer solutions to a real-world problem that directly impact their lives. K-5 students will use these gardens as tools as they explore the Georgia Standards of Excellence in science, math, reading and writing. The teachers hope the program will provide students with the opportunity to take a leadership role in maintaining all three garden systems and to develop solutions to the challenges associated with each.