Water splashes in the tanks as students gather around, taking in the process of how koi fish create vegetables. Learning doesn’t just happen at a desk in Ms. Nguyen’s math class – it grows!

Taking root at Wekiva High School, the seeds of learning math and science come to life through her aquaponics garden.

Since 2015, her students have gathered around a living system where fish and plants work together, creating a powerful example of how biology, chemistry, and mathematics connect in the real world. Instead of only reading about concepts in a textbook, students see them unfold right in front of them throughout the entire school year. Ms. Nguyen’s aquaponics garden also expands learning beyond the classroom through a partnership with University of Central Florida, contributing to real-world environmental efforts like mangrove restoration.

Local hands-on learning programs like this give students a unique opportunity to experience STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) in action. They have the ability to analyze patterns in plant growth, apply math to measure change over time, and study the science behind ecosystems and sustainability. Lessons about data, ratios, and environmental science suddenly have real meaning when students can watch the results of their work grow every day.

This level of education encourages exploration, creativity, and critical thinking – all skills students will carry with them long after graduation.

Often, a project with this level of impact begins with something simple: a drawing of an idea on paper, colored in with details. But that doesn’t happen without access to those tools.

Classroom supplies like crayons, notebooks, and other materials help teachers bring innovative lessons to life. Through A Gift for Teaching, local educators can access these essential supplies for free so they can focus on turning student curiosity into learning.

“Every time the Pencil Boy [Express] comes to Wekiva or any school in the neighborhood, I come by and I get the free supplies to use in the classroom.

And then in the garden too with the art stuff – like painting, pencils, paper, crayons. I use everything for the students to develop their projects when they learn in the classroom or for Wekiva Aquaponics STEM learning. So thank you for your support.” – Ms. Nguyen

Monthly donors – our Classroom Heroes – provide a steady stream of support that keeps programs like Ms. Nguyen’s aquaponics garden thriving all year long. Your ongoing gifts help ensure teachers can continue bringing hands-on learning opportunities to their students without worrying about the ongoing cost of supplies.

One-time gifts help plant seeds of learning. A monthly gift helps keep them growing.

Your generous monthly gifts can be easily set-up to be automatically recurring in just one click, and can be paused at any time. For less than a dollar a day, $25/month, you can support three classrooms in our community each year.