Thursday, October 1, 2026
Two years ago, I read a news story about first-grade students having a “lettuce party” in class, using produce grown in their school’s hydroponic garden to have a tasting feast of different types of greens. The students commented that many of them were really delicious, and said they were excited about eating something they had grown themselves.
As an avid, but traditional, gardener myself, I was immediately taken by the idea that young children were excited about eating lettuce. As a parent, I know the struggle to get kids enthused about healthy eating. I remember sending my preschool daughter to school many years ago with healthy snacks like carrot sticks, only to have them come home uneaten, with the news that friends had shared delicious Cheez Doodles and cookies with her! I also know how important healthy eating habits are, so as an educator I have worked to ensure that schools were good partners with parents on that topic.
Two years after reading the article about the lettuce party, I’m excited to say that several of our schools in Long Beach now have their own hydroponic systems, and our students’ excitement about these gardens matches the enthusiasm I saw in that article. Hydroponic systems are fascinating: They use less energy than agricultural growing environments and produce more than 25 pounds of fresh produce every 28 days. Unlike food grown in our backyard gardens, these systems are free from pest interference, have no risk of groundwater or pesticide contamination, and can grow delicious fruits and vegetables year-round. They also have a “cool factor” that piques students’ interest. Seeing lettuce and cucumbers pop out of towers in the classroom and quickly grow to maturity in just a month is amazing to them.
Hydroponic gardens are a big help in getting our children to think about trying new foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, which are now a part of our regular school lunch offerings. Many studies have linked school gardens to improved eating habits in students, particularly younger ones. Our enthusiastic food services director and some students spoke about our hydroponic gardens and our Farm-to-Table initiatives at a recent Board of Education meeting.
The director, Kyle Swan, discussed the many efforts the district has made over the past three years to increase interest and participation in our school lunch program, including importing more fresh produce from local farms in addition to our own gardens, and having student “lunch advisers” taste-test new offerings. The enthusiasm of our students was matched by Mr. Swan — who made his presentation dressed as a head of lettuce.
The hydroponic gardens, of course, also link to STEM standards, helping students learn about related topics like the life cycle of plants, sustainability, composting, ecosystems and food webs. And in the warmer seasons, the gardens complement our outdoor greenhouse at Long Beach Middle School, where students can continue their research on growing environments.
In fact, gardening and food production are topics that have really taken off, literally, in Long Beach. At that recent school board meeting, our science director mentioned that our middle school students’ seed-growth-in-microgravity experiment will soon be sent to the International Space Station, where astronauts will conduct research on plant growth in space while students conduct a control experiment here. This program, coordinated with the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education, has been running in Long Beach for the past four years, and gives our students the opportunity to interact with astronauts and to do “real” science. The students’ excitement and enthusiasm are always evident when launch day approaches.
It’s wonderful to see these programs spark student curiosity and learning, as well as their interest in science and nutrition. Maybe we’ll invite you to our next lettuce party.
Jennifer Gallagher, Ed.D., is superintendent of the Long Beach City School District.
