That’s because the fourth- through sixth-grade students are producing lettuce, radishes, peas and tomatoes in their new STEM — Science, Technology, Engineering and Math — lab.

When John Seiser returned to the classroom in 2013, he wanted to try a different approach to teaching science.  With the stamp of approval from the NEH School Board and the school administrators, Seiser started to incorporate STEM projects into the classroom.

In their elementary school classroom, students charted the development of chicken embryos by candling eggs and they created a compost pile by introducing earth worms into recycled lunch food scraps.

Then two years ago, the school board made a commitment to Seiser’s most ambitious project yet — converting the vacant high school weight room into a STEM lab.

NEH Principal Mike Kruger was on board with the science lab project.  He is an advocate of STEM learning and in his first year at the school, he oversaw the creation of the Maker Space for younger students.

“First and foremost is that the projects are more hands-on,” said Kruger of the lab program and the Maker Space. “Students learn through hands-on activities and working in a team.”

In the STEM lab, the teacher serves as a facilitator by presenting students with a problem, explained Kruger.  By trying to solve the problem individually and in groups, a student thinks more deeply about their effort and why they are doing it, he said.

Construction in the STEM lab was completed soon after school started last fall.  The lab includes a class assembly area, counter tops, storage space, a state of the art video/projector system and restrooms.  Attached to the south side of the building is a new greenhouse.  The STEM lab is located south of the main school building.

Once the school year began, the students set to work building raised gardens beds and installing hydroponic and aquaponic growing systems inside the greenhouse.  Then the planting began.  Hydroponic and aquaponic leaf lettuce and radish seeds were planted.  Tomato plants and peas were planted in the raised beds.

During the growth cycle, the students chart the progress of the plants and the chickens which are raised in the school courtyard, said Seiser.  They also document the water usage and nutrition applications for both projects.

NEH Farms, the name for the STEM lab, was designed to serve as a science classroom, but the program actually offers a well-rounded educational experience for students because it also teaches math, business, engineering and marketing, said Seiser. Students also learn social skills such as public speaking, cooperation and responsibility.

“These are important skills,” said Kruger of the presentations the students have given to classmates and to community groups. “We also are trying to incorporate more opportunities for students to share their learning. We feel that as our students become better at public speaking, this will give our students a competitive advantage as they leave Northeast Hamilton.”

To insure an orderly routine in the lab, there is a weekly job chart, said Seiser.  Students take turns serving as greenhouse supervisor, water superintendent, maintenance manager, production manager, marketing director, nutritionist and poultry supervisor. Another student serves as the general manager over the entire operation, said Seiser.

“It is a big responsibility,” he said.

“It’s not too hard,” said Alivia Wahlert of her time as general manager. “You watch over all the people and everything has gone right so far.”

Wahlert is enthusiastic about working in the STEM lab.

“It’s fun to be out there and you get to do a lot of things,” she said. “It’s never dull.”