Project Description

The Educational Ecosystem Initiative will be implemented in 36 schools across 24 districts. Each school is a member of the Aquaponics Collaborative, a recognized Informal Pennsylvania Stem Ecosystem that teaches environmental sciences and sustainability in the context of operating classroom aquaponic systems. 

The classroom aquaponics systems function as contained wetland ecosystems, processing fish wastewater into sustainable fertilizer for plant production. These systems provide students with hands-on learning opportunities related to raising fish, propagating plants, and managing water quality and other environmental parameters, experiencing in real-time the interconnectedness of wetland ecosystems.

Each school will be supplied with updated, standards-aligned curriculum, lesson plans, guided presentations, and assessments that teach a range of core environmental and ecological topics, framed in the context of industry-aligned agricultural practices, sustainability, and environmental awareness. Through this initiative, more than 14,000 students will learn to think critically about a range of factors and interplays at work in local ecosystems and across the broader environment.

Students will tangibly experience the impacts that flooding and drought, sunlight, nutrients, and pests have on crop production, and through testing and tracking the system water quality, will gain a deeper recognition of the effects that animal waste and fertilizer run-off have on aquatic ecosystems.

Major Goal: Build critical thinking and systems-thinking skills in students through hands-on operation of classroom aquaponics systems, framed around water quality and agricultural sustainability. 

2026-2027 Upcoming Meetings  

October 2026: In-person (Erie, PA) TBD

Educational Ecosystem Initiative Participants

IU1 Schools

• California Area School District

• Carmichaels Area School District

• Laurel Highlands School District

Midwestern IU4 Schools 

• Laurel Area School District

• West Middlesex Area School District

• Butler Area School District

Northwest Tri-County IU5 Schools

• Charter School of Excellence

• North East School District

• PENNCREST School District

Riverview IU6 Schools

• Clarion Area School District

• DuBois Area School District

• Forest Area School District

Westmoreland IU7 Schools

• Greater Latrobe School District

• New Kensington-Arnold School District

• Derry Area School District

Tuscarora IU11 Schools

• Southern Fulton School District

• Huntingdon Area School District

• Central Fulton School District

Beaver Valley IU27 Schools

• Rochester Area School District

• New Brighton Area School District

• Ambridge Area School District

ARIN IU28 Schools

• Apollo-Ridge School District

• Penns Manor Area School District

• Armstrong School District

This work is being funded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.