When Avail Academy’s middle school installed a hydroponics and an aquaponics system, agriculture became part of everyday student responsibility. Seventh graders would soon be mostly in charge of maintaining these systems, making decisions that directly impact plant health and growth. To support that responsibility, the school turned to a hydroponics and aquaponics Farm Camp experience to show students how agriculture works in real settings and in many different forms.
On November 21, 2025, Avail Academy 7th graders visited the University of Minnesota’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) and Frisk Fra Boksen with support from a Farm Camp Minnesota Transportation Grant. The experience helped students move from managing small systems at school to understanding agriculture at a professional and research-based level.
From School Systems to Real Agriculture
Before Farm Camp, students were already learning how hydroponics and an aquaponics system function. They understood that plants can grow without soil, that water and nutrients must be carefully managed, and that light plays a critical role in plant development. What they had not yet seen was how these same concepts scale up and are applied in real agricultural operations.
This made the hydroponics and aquaponics Farm Camp experience especially valuable. Students arrived ready to connect what they were responsible for at school to the broader agricultural systems they would see on the trip.
Seeing Multiple Ways Agriculture Works
At CFANS, students explored greenhouses and conservatories filled with plants from around the world. They were surprised by the variety of plants, including species that are extinct in the natural environment. Students also learned how specific light spectrums, including blue, red, and yellow, are used to support plant growth, reinforcing lessons they apply in their own systems.
At Frisk Fra Boksen, students saw how controlled environments allow food to be grown efficiently and consistently. Measuring and touching plants helped them understand how seed depth, plant spacing, and environmental controls impact growth.
Preparing Students to Take Ownership
Throughout the hydroponics and aquaponics Farm Camp experience, students made clear connections to their role at school. They identified how hydroponics works, how aquaponics systems rely on balance, and how plants adapt to their environments to survive.
Educators noted strong engagement and thoughtful questions, showing that students were gaining the confidence needed to manage their own systems back at school.
A Measurable Impact
Before Farm Camp, 63.2% of students felt somewhat knowledgeable about the agricultural industries they visited. After the hydroponics and aquaponics Farm Camp experience, 81.3% reported feeling knowledgeable.
By getting students onto farms and into professional growing spaces, Farm Camp Minnesota helped bridge the gap between classroom responsibility and real-world agriculture. A hydroponics and aquaponics Farm Camp experience gave Avail Academy students the understanding they need to lead, manage, and grow their own systems with confidence.
Interested in helping students prepare for hands-on agriculture through a hydroponics and aquaponics Farm Camp experience? Farm Camp Minnesota is ready to help.
