Some teachers New Jersey looked at an old classroom filled with old lunch tables and a courtyard filled with weeds -- and saw a great opportunity to both teach kids and help those in need.
The teachers -- at Emerson Middle School in Union City -- converted the classroom into an indoor hydroponic garden where crops are grown in water instead of dirt. And then, they converted the courtyard into an outdoor garden and sanctuary for the students.
So now, the students are growing crops both indoors and outdoors, spending a couple hours after school each week keeping things going.
They’ve got four towers of tomatoes, kale, peppers and even lemon basil, which is used to brew tea -- and they produce about 70 pounds of this fresh food each month, which they then donate to local families at a nearby food pantry.
The kids are happy to help those in need. And, many of them are having so much fun that they’ve started gardens of their own at home.
Read More: The Jersey Journal