The Hydroponic Venture Project

Impact

What HVP has built since 2022

Four years. Twenty-two Chicago schools. Thousands of students. A program that’s measurable, replicable, and rooted in the communities it serves.

Four years, in numbers

Chicago schools served
Students reached
Produce harvested
Water saved

Our schools

Growing across Chicago

Every pin represents a classroom currently running an HVP hydroponic system. The program is concentrated in Chicago Public Schools on the South and West Sides, with a growing footprint across the city.

The work, in action

Case studies

Each install is different, but the structure stays the same.
System, curriculum, and community at four partner schools.

Chef Sebastian White leading a cooking demo for Talcott students.

Installed 2025 · West Town

Talcott Dual Language Fine & Performing Arts Museum Academy

Talcott is a Chicago Public middle school HVP began partnering with in 2025. The install anchored a large community programming event co-hosted with The Evolved Network, Chef Sebastian White, and nutritionist Lara Field. Students ran an interactive cooking workshop, worked through a nutrition education session, and helped distribute hundreds of bags of fresh produce to families. The featured dish, seasonal poached radishes with a fresh herb relish, came together around the classroom hydroponic system and the greens growing off of it.

Ribbon-cutting ceremony at Agustin Lara Academy.

Installed 2023 · Back of the Yards

Agustin Lara Academy

Agustin Lara Academy is an elementary school in Chicago’s Back of the Yards neighborhood. HVP onboarded Lara in 2023 as one of its first school partners. Programming at Lara has run consistently since, most recently anchored by an Aetna-sponsored community event featuring a live chef demonstration, hundreds of bags of fresh produce distributed to families, and a cooking workshop built around fresh pesto tortellini and caprese skewers, ingredients the students were already growing in class.

Ribbon-cutting ceremony at James Ward Elementary.

Installed 2023 · Armour Square

James Ward Elementary

James Ward Elementary, in Chicago’s Armour Square neighborhood, onboarded with HVP in 2023 and is one of the program’s longest-running installs. The partnership is supported by Aetna Better Health of Illinois. At Ward’s most recent Aetna-sponsored community event, a live chef demonstration and fresh produce distribution highlighted the harvest coming directly off the classroom garden.

Kai Fogelson with teacher Ryan Johnson at Jovita Idár.

Installed 2023 · McKinley Park

Acero Jovita Idár Elementary School

Jovita Idár Elementary, part of Chicago’s Acero network, onboarded with HVP in August 2023. Over its first semester, lead teacher Ryan Johnson built a cross-curricular environmental science program around the hydroponic system, layering in aquaponics, composting, and a plastic bag recycling initiative.

In the press

Honors and headlines

Coverage of HVP’s work across Chicago Public Schools and in the national food-education community, 2023–2025.

Fresh produce bags packed for community distribution at an HVP partner school.

Year Five

Funded by donors. Built by students.

Be part of the work

Be part of Year Five

HVP’s next year of installs, workshops, and harvests depends on donors, school partners, and volunteers who want to build alongside the team.

$1,750sponsors one school for a full year

System, seeds, curriculum, workshops, and recognition, all included.