Thanks to the support of the Farm to School Canada Grant, West Central Public School has transformed food education into a hands-on learning experience that reaches far beyond the classroom. Over the past two years, students have grown, harvested, preserved, and prepared food while learning valuable life skills in a newly renovated school kitchen. From harvesting produce in classroom garden boxes to making pickles, salsa, apple crisp, and the now-anticipated annual Harvest Soup lunch, students have gained a deeper understanding of where food comes from and the importance of healthy, local food choices. The project has also strengthened curriculum connections through cooking, science, food safety, and Practical and Applied Arts programming.
Equally important has been the project's focus on community, agriculture, and Indigenous learning. Students explored sustainable farming at Bison Ridge Farms, learned about beekeeping from local experts, participated in land-based learning activities, harvested sage, learned birch teachings, built fishing rods, and prepared fish they caught themselves. Monthly hot meals featuring local ingredients, community harvest celebrations, and partnerships with local growers, businesses, volunteers, Elders, and families have created meaningful connections between students and their food systems. As a rural K–8 school with a strong Métis and Indigenous population, West Central School is proud to celebrate a project that has strengthened food literacy, cultural awareness, and community engagement while creating learning opportunities that will benefit students for years to come.