Gwinnett teacher wins grant to show kids nature — and how to give back

A Gwinnett teacher has been awarded a $35,000 grant to fund a project that will aim to "connect STEM education and nature" while also giving students a chance to give back.

Gwinnett County schools announced this week that Carrie Settles Livers, an Advanced Placement environmental science teacher at Brookwood High School, was awarded the big grant from the 3M Corporation. She will use the money to build an aquaponics lab where students can learn about sustainable agriculture — and then distribute the food they grow to local co-ops.

"An opportunity like this, to add hands-on learning experiences right here on campus, is always exciting," Livers said in a news release.

"Our students not only get to learn about sustainable agriculture and giving back to those less fortunate, but they also get to experience the emotional response that comes along with actually doing so."