Kim Mitchell

Mitchell’s innovative teaching idea, “Feeding the Future,” is focused on utilizing the school’s greenhouse to educate students about various ways to grow food. Students will utilize a hydroponics system, growing lettuce, tomatoes, and other crops that can be utilized in the school lunch program. If funds permit, students also may learn the benefits of an aquaponics system. With the world population predicted by the U.S. Census Bureau to reach more than 7.2 billion people by 2015, Mitchell believes we must find new ways to feed the growing population using fewer land resources. A hydroponics or aquaponics system may be an answer to growing produce in non-traditional areas, such as in high-rise buildings or basements. By educating young people about his topic, they may be part of the answer to the world hunger problem and the rising world population. Mitchell says the objectives for this project are to expand student knowledge of non-traditional food production, increase the way the school greenhouse can be leveraged, produce fresh vegetables for the school lunch program, and increase community awareness about non-traditional food production.