Overbrook Catholic School students are growing and serving their own produce harvested from the OCS Beyond the Brook Farm garden beds and STEM lab hydroponic towers. Inspired by Laudato Si', Pope Francis’ encyclical on care for God’s creation, this initiative brings sustainability to life as students see the fruits and vegetables of their labor served in cafeteria meals through a partnership with City Kitchen. 

At the heart of the program is Mrs. Emily Walter, Overbrook Catholic School’s STEM instructor and farm manager. With a degree in Environmental and Sustainability Science and experience teaching students in settings ranging from classrooms to farms and even zoos, she leads a STEM program rooted in hands-on learning and systems-based thinking. Grounded in the Catholic Church’s teachings on caring for God’s creation and inspired by Laudato Si', the program emphasizes stewardship as a lived experience rather than a classroom concept. 

The OCS STEM lab features two hydroponic towers where fifth-grade students grew and harvested three varieties of lettuce, including black-seeded lettuce, kale, and Swiss chard. These vertical, soil-free Tower Gardens use closed-loop technology to recycle water and nutrients, allowing students to explore plant science while learning key sustainability concepts such as water conservation, recycling, and reduced reliance on pesticides and herbicides. 

The Tower Gardens were donated by former Overbrook parents Mike and Mary Ellen Zinser after seeing the impact of the school’s STEM program. “Our hope was that the Tower Gardens would serve as a hands-on learning tool in the classroom,” Mike Zinser shared. “Through this experience, we hope students recognize the importance of what they are learning. It’s rewarding to see them being used as intended.” 

After the harvest, the lettuce was delivered to the cafeteria, where City Kitchen incorporated it into a Caesar salad served on pizza day, giving students the unique opportunity to enjoy food they grew themselves. 

In addition to the indoor hydroponic system, Overbrook’s Beyond the Brook Farm provides an outdoor learning space where students grow crops such as carrots, Brussels sprouts, strawberries, and most recently, radishes. Fourth-grade students harvested approximately 20 pounds of radishes, a portion of which was used as toppings for Taco Tuesday by City Kitchen at both Overbrook Catholic School and St. Cecilia Academy. The remaining harvest was shared with students, faculty, and staff. 

Through both hydroponic and outdoor growing systems, students experience the full cycle of food production from planting and tending to harvesting and serving. This farm-to-table approach reinforces classroom learning while building a deeper appreciation for where food comes from and the effort it takes to produce it. 

Beyond science content, the program helps students build responsibility, collaboration, and problem-solving skills while fostering a tangible connection to their school community. By integrating faith, science, and sustainability, students are invited to see themselves as active stewards of creation. 

The success of Overbrook’s hydroponic program is made possible through the generosity of donors like the Zinser family. Their support has provided students with innovative tools for year-round, hands-on agricultural learning, and continues to strengthen the school’s STEM curriculum. 

Looking ahead, Overbrook Catholic School hopes to expand its STEM and sustainability programming through continued community partnerships and additional hydroponic tower donations, with the vision of one day incorporating a greenhouse or orchard into campus life. This growth will allow more students to participate in hands-on agricultural learning and further increase the amount of student-grown produce used in school meals. 

By integrating faith, sustainability, and experiential learning, Overbrook Catholic School is cultivating more than fresh produce. It’s forming students who understand the importance of caring for God’s creation. Through initiatives like the hydroponic towers and Beyond the Brook Farm, students are empowered to live out the message of Laudato Si' in meaningful, everyday ways. As the program grows, so does its impact on both students and the broader school community.