A school partnership

Meet Garden #39 at Piedmont Community Charter

Piedmont Community Charter High School has a new place for students to put science to work. Its Chick-fil-A Leader Academy partnered with 100 Gardens to bring an Aqueous Inspiration garden to campus in Gastonia, with support from Coca-Cola’s Sustainability Innovation Challenge. Students help care for the system, taking responsibility and learning how fish, plants, and water work together. We’re excited to welcome Garden #39! Piedmont was one of only two schools in the country chosen for funding through the challenge. Students run and maintain the garden, building workplace skills, and classes across the school use it as a living lab.

Community in action

Learning together at Fishing for Information

On October 20, guests joined us at the Innovation Barn for Fishing for Information. We covered Aquaponics 101 and shared an aquaponics-inspired dinner—a chance to learn together about food, education, and the environment. Kelli followed up by sharing the presentation and inviting participants to give feedback and stay connected. Thanks to everyone who joined us and helped make it a great evening!

A living classroom

60 second graders, fish, and a lot to learn

West Lincoln High School and Kelli from 100 Gardens welcomed 60 second graders from North Brook Elementary to learn about aquaponics. They fed fish, planted seeds, and gathered for a fish demonstration. A greenhouse became a classroom, with plenty to see and do.

Launching in November

10 teachers learning from each other

The Aquaponics Learning Network launches November 3 with 10 teachers from the surrounding region. They’ll share ideas, talk through classroom challenges, and develop resources they can use with their students. During in-person and virtual sessions, they’ll create classroom-tested lessons, projects that connect subjects, and a digital resource library. It’s a way to share what works in one classroom so other teachers can use it, too.

Everyday discoveries

Learning by doing

There’s a lot to learn from a tray of lettuce seedlings or a closer look through a fish tank window. Students can see what’s happening in the garden and take part in caring for it. The fish and plants give them something to pay attention to, and the work gives them a reason to keep coming back.

That’s what we like about learning this way. A garden gives students a chance to try something, ask questions, and figure things out together. They don’t have to understand the whole system before they can get involved. There’s a place to start, whether it’s tending seedlings or taking a closer look at the fish. As they spend time with it, there’s more to notice and more to learn.

People & partners

Good partners make this work possible

Thank you to Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation for a generous $5,000 grant supporting our mission to create smarter, healthier, more compassionate communities through aquaponics. We’re grateful for their support as we work together toward a healthier future for our kids and community.

You’re invited

Come learn about aquaponics with us.

Fishing for Information Tuesday, February 23, 2027 · 5–8 p.m. Innovation Barn Join us for Aquaponics 101 and an aquaponics-inspired dinner. If you’re curious about the work—or know someone who would enjoy learning more—we’d love to see you. Seats are limited. Explore the session & register

FROM THE BOARD • OCTOBER–NOVEMBER 2026

More support for the work ahead

We’re working on new gardens, building partnerships, and planning for 2030. It all comes back to our mission: smarter, healthier, more compassionate communities through aquaponics.