Kenya Grow It? wins eCYBERMISSION Grade 8 Northwest Region

Kenya Grow It?


Memorial Park Middle School; Fort Wayne, Ind.
Team Members: Michael Rowlett, Olivia Rusk, Sylvia Rust, Benjamin Tarr and Larry Lesh (Team Advisor)

Team “Kenya Grow It?” decided to experiment with biostimulants and amaranth, a very nutritious plant that is currently being grown in Africa, to help address hunger and nutrition concerns in Kenya. The students planted both vegetable and grain types of amaranth and treated each seven different ways. To measure the results, the team did height and weight tests, a soil microbe count and a sugar content test. The results proved that the amaranth grew most effectively with a combination of biostimulants and cow manure. To share the results, the team is meeting with their direct contact from Kenya to discuss expanding the experiment there, and a representative from Africa University to talk about starting an amaranth/biostimulants project at the university. They are also continuing their project by growing amaranth with biostimulants with Burmese refugees in local community gardens.

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