Milwaukee Schools Get $98K Grant To Expand Aquaponics Program

Milwaukee Public Schools received a $98,000 grant from AT&T and the National Education Association Foundation to expand their successful aquaponics program.

Foundation and corporate grants are helping expand the Urban Schools Aquaponics (USA) initiative in Milwaukee. It’s a program that aims to teach students about using water from fish tanks to grow nearby vegetables, and sending the filtered water back to fish that are raised for food.

Bradley Tech high school senior Odell Chalmers has already been doing some aquaponics work at school and at home. Chalmers says he hopes someday to help provide quality food for the people who live in so-called ‘food deserts,’ without fresh food nearby.

“We want to grow healthy people,” Chalmers said. “If they’re not having access to fresh food, they’re not healthy people.”

Chalmers also hopes to start aquaponics systems in abandoned houses.

Chalmers has been accepted to college at UW-Stevens Point. He says he hopes to minor in aquaponics or aquaculture and fish studies. The Milwaukee schools program is also part of an effort to get more low-income students interested in science, technology engineering and math.