Students from Buffalo's McKinley High School — home to one of the few high-school horticulture programs in New York state — visited Cornell May 19 to tour greenhouses, participate in demonstrations and meet researchers from the Center for Research on Programmable Plant Systems (CROPPS).Exploring technologies that could allow crops to signal when they need water, fertilizer or protection from environmental stress, sophomores, juniors and seniors had the option to "tickle" a plant, watching fluorescent waves move through its leaves as it responded to the touch, among other learning opportunities. McKinley High School’s horticulture program is unusual in New York state. Not only is it one of the few high schools in New York with its own greenhouse, but it is part of a unique statewide BOCES program focused on horticultural technical education. Students study plant science, greenhouse management and horticulture while gaining hands-on experience growing plants, creating floral arrangements and developing agricultural skills. The students visiting were all active members of their school’s Future Farmers of America (FFA) organization, a program with which Cornell has a long history. The trip reflected a shared interest in plants and food systems, connecting students already working in a greenhouse to emerging technologies that may shape the future of agriculture. “Our students spend every day learning how plants grow, but seeing research at this level helped them understand the many careers and opportunities that exist in agriculture and plant science,” said Julie Hughes '04, horticulture instructor at McKinley High School. “It showed them that the skills they are developing today can lead to meaningful work solving real-world challenges.” Hughes is a graduate of the horticulture programs of both McKinley High School and Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Science. For many students, the visit was their first opportunity to see university research laboratories and interact directly with working scientists, Hughes said. The McKinley students began their visit at the greenhouses in Cornell’s Guterman Bioclimactic Laboratories, where they toured research facilities and met with graduate students, faculty and staff members working on plant science projects. Later, the group visited Olin Hall for presentations and a lab demonstration of “CROPPS-in-a-Box,” a portable educational platform designed to introduce students to programmable plant systems and plant biotechnology. Funded by the National Science Foundation, CROPPS develops technologies that allow plants to communicate information about their health, water needs and environmental conditions. Researchers are exploring ways to help crops signal stress earlier and use resources like water and fertilizer more efficiently.