Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School students showcase aquaponic system

Students in the Specialist High Skills Major in Environment program at Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School showcased their innovative aquaponic system on Monday, November 10, 2014 in the school’s woodworking shop.

Dr. David Pearson, Co-Director of the Science Communication Program at Laurentian University, brought some of his students to sample a variety of foods grown through the system including Tilapia fish, lettuce, cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes.

Dr. Pearson visited Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School in August to research whether aquaponics could be a maintainable food source for Northern communities.

Aquaponic systems are self-sustaining ecosystems that combine aquatic animals, with plants, in a cooperative water environment.

“The fish develop an ecosystem in the water,” said Leo Leclair, Specialist High Skills Major Program Coordinator with Rainbow District School Board. “The water then gets pumped to the plants, whose roots systems extract the nutrients. The plants filter the water and send it back in the tank for the fish.”

He added: “In the end, you develop produce that is one hundred percent natural and requires no added insecticides, herbicides and fertilizers for growth. These systems are a perfect example of how nature takes care of itself.”

The Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) is a specialized, Ministry of Education approved program that allows students to focus their learning on a specific economic sector while meeting the requirements of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). SHSMs assist students in their transition from secondary school to apprenticeship training, college, university or the workplace.

Rainbow District School Board offers Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) programs in ten sectors: Arts and Culture, Business, Construction, Energy, Environment, Health and Wellness, Information Communication Technology, Manufacturing, Mining and Sports. Each Specialist High Skills Major is a bundle of 8 to 10 courses in a selected field. Students learn on the job and can earn valuable industry certifications.

These programs enable students to gain sector specific skills and knowledge in engaging, career-related learning environments, and prepare in a focused way for graduation and postsecondary education, training or employment.

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Media Contact:

Leo Leclair, Specialist High Skills Major Program Coordinator
Rainbow District School Board, 705-523-3308 ext. 8203.