Methacton Puts $220K Funding To Hydroponic Farm, Forensics Labs

EAGLEVILLE, PA — Methacton School District has received a pair of donations to kickstart the creation of two new unique initiatives: a hydroponics farm and CSI laboratory.

A total of $220,000 has been committed to the projects, and donations of $65,000 from J.P. Mascaro and Ambler Savings Bank were announced this week.

"These experimental labs will supplement Methacton High School’s core science curriculum and allow for advanced application of the content in ways not typically provided to high school students," the Methacton Education Foundation said in announcing the funding.

The hydroponic farm lab will be located inside of an insulated shipping crate. The vertical farming initiative, which will boost the school's environmental science and biology programs, is the first of its kind at a school in Pennsylvania, according to the school district.

The forensics and biochemistry lab will offer students a chance to solve a crime, providing access to a variety of tools including fingerprint and handwriting analysis, fiber and hair analysis, trace and residue analysis, DNA electrophoresis, and a spectrometer than looks for counterfeit printing.

The Education Foundation plans to raise further funds for the project through corporate and community partners. The first donations from J.P. Mascaro and Ambler Savings Bank will be presented during a ceremony on Feb. 22.