The Southern Local High School FFA obtained a $3,500 Ohio FFA Foundation Chapter Success Grant to finance hydroponic systems and grow vegetables, fruit and herbs in the classroom. The chapter will collaborate with the Columbiana County OSU Extension Office and students will learn how to apply the food production methods both in school and at home. Pictured with the systems are students Chase Forbes and Kaitlyn Boston. (Submitted photo)

SALINEVILLE — The Southern Local High School FFA Chapter has obtained grant funding for a program designed to support both students and the community.

The organization received a $3,500 Ohio FFA Foundation Chapter Success Grant to build sustainable relationships and programs through a new hydroponics project. FFA Advisor Shelley Pirogowicz said proposals were submitted from chapters across the state and a total of 19 recipients earned allocations ranging from $1,000 to $4,000.

“As one of the grant recipients, the FFA chapter will work in collaboration with the Columbiana County OSU Extension Office to build a hydroponics-based food production system and will use the produce to learn about plant science and food preparation and preservation,” she added. “The primary responsibilities are concentrated in the agronomics and food science classes that have about 40 students, but all of the agriculture education students have been eager to help with the project.”

The students will grow a variety of lettuce, green beans, broccoli, green onions and cilantro but also plan to add strawberries into the mix. Pirogowicz said the project will teach students about alternative plant cultivation methods and food preservation techniques that could be applied both at school and at home.

The Ohio FFA Foundation’s Chapter Success Grants program is made possible by support from Heritage Cooperative, Ohio Department of Agriculture and Trillium Farms.