YONKERS, NY — October 20, 2026 — A delectable bounty is in bloom in the basement of Lincoln High School.  The new hydroponics lab is producing edible crops and feeding hungry young minds with scientific knowledge.

“Welcome to our secret garden,” said Sunitha Howard, Director of the Academy of Scientific Research at Lincoln High School.

Howard and her students started cultivating seeds in April with help from a grant from New York State’s Department of Agriculture.  So far, the fall harvest is providing a cornucopia: lettuce, basil, bok choy, rainbow chard, arugula, parsley, dill and cilantro.  Also on the way are cucumbers, eggplant, tomatoes and strawberries.

“Students love the lettuce and parsley,” Howard said.  “They’re not crazy about the arugula which has a peppery kick to it.”

Howard started with a spare, windowless room in Lincoln’s basement.  She had the walls painted white for a fresh, clean aesthetic.  Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil.  In a controlled environment, lamps supply light for photosynthesis, pumps provide a steady stream of filtered water and a fibrous substrate of rockwool gives seeds a place to nest and develop roots.

“This is hands-on learning for my scientific research students,” Howard said.  “They love being in here.  The sound of trickling water is relaxing.  The students are calmer and happier.  They’re learning that we can grow more crops through hydroponics than through conventional farming.  We use 90% less water because it is recycled and it doesn’t evaporate.  There’s no soil so we don’t have to worry about pests and disease related to soil.”

Once harvested, the hydroponics produce is shared with Lincoln High School’s Culinary Arts program.  There’s plenty on the vine that needs a little more time, according to Howard.

“When the cucumbers come in, they’ll be magnificent because there are so many on one plant.  Everyone is excited for the cucumbers.”