Empowering Tomorrow’s Scientists: NYC Deputy Chancellor Hawkins Experiences Student-Led STEM & Global Agriculture at PS 5
On June 3, 2026, the halls of PS 5 (Dr. Ronald McNair School) buzzed with a unique global energy. The school hosted a special visit from NYC Department of Education Deputy Chancellor Hawkins, who came to witness firsthand how students are engaging with cutting-edge science, global collaboration, and sustainable technology through the One Planet Education Network (OPEN) Smart Garden STEM Program.
The event demonstrated how local, hands-on learning can expand into a global dialogue, preparing students for a future where technology, data science, and environmental stewardship intersect.
A Global Morning: Zooming Across Five Countries
The day began not with textbooks, but with a global classroom. Deputy Chancellor Hawkins joined the students for a short clip and summary of that morning’s Global Agriculture Zoom Event.
This event brought together sister schools from five countries: Kenya, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, and the United States (NYC – PS 5). Through this network, students from diverse cultures shared local agricultural knowledge, growing techniques, and discussed how shared global challenges confront our planet’s life support systems.
Hands-On STEM: Students Lead the Lesson
The highlight of the visit was a student-led demonstration. Led by their teachers Ms. Mack and Ms. Simpore, along with technical helper Ms. Kay, the PS 5 Smart Garden students took the stage to conduct a lesson for the Deputy Chancellor.
Rather than being passive learners, the students acted as the educators, explaining how they monitor plant health and soil conditions using internet-connected sensors, the role of sustainable community development in addressing local food security, and how they grow more nutritious food locally, using less water and fewer resources.
Principal Gates expressed pride in the students’ leadership and the collaborative effort that made the day possible.
“We are preparing our students for a future where AI, data sciences, and robotics will be an integral part of their lives—both for employment and to help them adapt to the pace of whatever AI brings us over the next 20 years.”
— George Newman, Founder of OPEN
The Path Ahead: Air Quality Monitoring & AI (Fall 2026)
The Smart Garden program is just the beginning of OPEN’s efforts to equip students with critical skills. George Newman shared the organization’s vision for the future, highlighting the upcoming Air Quality Monitoring Initiative launching in the Fall of 2026.
This global, data-driven project will involve students building and deploying air quality sensors outside their schools, networking them citywide to gather real-time environmental data, and using focused AI applications to analyze air quality trends and propose local solutions. The Fall 2026 rollout will connect schools across New York City, Los Angeles (focusing on wildfire-damaged communities), and highly industrialized cities in Nigeria, including Abuja and Lagos.
Exposing Students to a Connected World
Since its inception in 1998, OPEN has been built on a simple yet powerful idea: using the internet to bring schools together to tackle civilization’s most pressing challenges. By combining environmental science with advanced technologies like AI, robotics, and sensors, the program is preparing students for the 21st-century workforce while fostering cultural empathy.