Bill Got His STEM Discount Ticket!

Bill Martin from the Helios Project just got his ticket for the Putting Out Fruits Conference September 20-22 at Kentucky State University. Are you a teacher or community grower? Learn about our STEM and Community Discount!Here's what Bill says about his project:We created the Helios Project at Pomfret School in Pomfret, CT to empower students and provide a venue for authentic student learning and the application of 21st century learning goals. We use aquaponics as a rich and relevant platform for student innovation and to teach applied biology, chemistry, physics and engineering principles.Everything done in the Helios Project is driven by the “need” for something new to be built or a problem to be solved by a group of students.  As much as possible students design, build, run and refine the aquaponics systems in our CERES passive solar greenhouse whose metal frame was assembled by students in a fall trimester class.  In addition to the sciences, The Helios Project has also benefited from the contributions of students from other Pomfret School departments such as art, photography and computer graphics who created a mural to adorn the exterior north wall, from computer science students who built the Helios Project website, and from videography students who created short films documenting various aspects about the Project.Beyond monitoring the aquaponic systems, Helios Interns plant and harvest produce for the School's dining hall and to donate to a local food bank and filet tilapia for an annual fish fry.  Finally, the Project provides opportunities for students to engage in independent research projects and to do outreach to area schools, teaching elementary to high school students about aquaponic topics.  The Helios Project is ongoing and the beauty of it is that there will always be more to do!