After touring Westdale Middle School’s amazing aquaponics lab on Wednesday, Baton Rouge native and U.S. Department of Agriculture Administrator Daniel Whitley was impressed and a little envious.
“I’m not the jealous type, but I’m jealous that we didn’t have this while I was in middle school,” said Whitley, who attended McKinley Middle and graduated from Tara High, Southern University and LSU. “I’m so excited to be here because it’s programs like these that I know are preparing the next students who will be able to compete against talent all around the world.”
Whitley joined Westdale Principal Ramona Remble, instructors Lauraleigh Eddleman and Laura N. Fitzgerald, EBR Schools Superintendent LaMont Cole, agriculture representatives from Southern and LSU, and other officials for a press conference and to explore the school’s lab.
Aquaponics is the science of growing plants with the support of fish. The nutrient-rich water from raising fish provides a natural fertilizer for the plants and the plants help to purify the water for the fish.
EBR Schools recently announced the creation of an agriculture curriculum to guide students toward career opportunities with the USDA.
“Baton Rouge is poised to develop some of the greatest students and ag minds in the country, and I really do mean that,” Whitley said. “We have two fantastic land-grant universities who are making positive investments and positive strides in agriculture into the communities.”
Westdale has nearly 200 students in the aquaponics program.
“You all are here gathered today to see one of the pride and joys of our campus: our aquaponics program in conjunction with our aquascience program,” Remble said. “Here, we have a huge emphasis on sustainable and renewable energy as well as ways to provide food for food deficients. We’re hoping that what we have here can grow into something that’s even bigger for the state of Louisiana, around the country and around the world.”
Cole applauded the program and the students.
“It’s an honor and a pleasure to see our wonderful students today as we explore the things they are doing in agriculture,” he said. “This is the type of programming we’d like to expand all across the city of Baton Rouge and the state of Louisiana.”
