Today’s episode features an inspiring guest, Michael Kosko, a Science teacher at Al Raby School for Community and Environment in Chicago, Illinois. I got him on the show after being inspired by the article he was featured on, From Aquaponics to Robots: McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation disperses over 149,000 for school enrichment in the US and Sudan.
Michael has been teaching in Chicago public schools for nine years now. He currently focuses on teaching environmental science to freshmen and exploring it together for the past years. Receiving the McCarthey Dressman grant gives them the opportunity to expand the program and support their Career in Technical Education programs, specifically culinary arts, emulating a lab-to-table model where students grow their own food sustainably, learn how to prepare it, and eventually selling it in partnership with their Business Career in Technical Education program. They are the first school to combine horticulture and culinary model together in their programs,
Listen in as we discuss topics like nitrogen cycle education, instilling a love of science, and how his students are occasionally flooding the classroom. We also talk about bell siphons, classroom aquaponic units made from IKEA stands, plans for media beds and and systems cost.
We touch on things like system failures, filtration methods, and water testing as well as cycling duration and methods. Michael discusses business programs including business planning and marketing and integrating into the horticulture program and his love for science and kids! Lastly, get loads of information on bringing aquaponics in the classroom through funding and grants.