The food literacy program at Gabriola Elementary inspires Farm to School BC
by Tessa Stiven, Central Island Region Community Animator
Farm to School BC
We are thrilled to announce that Gabriola Elementary has been recognized with the F2SBC Central Island Pollinator Award. What makes Gabriola Elementary especially inspiring is that their food literacy programming connects so many parts of the food system. Students are in the kitchen – cooking, serving and eating a weekly hot lunch program; they are in the garden – seeding, stewarding and harvesting; and they are in the community – helping farmers, learning from elders and growing gratitude sunflowers for volunteers. On top of this, the whole school celebrates annual events like Apple Day and Leek Day! Gabriola Elementary students joyfully welcome this hands-on, 4-season, seed-to-plate, community-based food literacy journey!
This program is possible with the leadership Principal Marc Daneault and dedicated teachers, as well as the support of a wonderful community organization – People for a Healthy Community (PHC)! Rachel Dubois, PHC’s Garden Facilitator, is the mastermind behind much of this programming. Rachel and PHC dream big, say YES to opportunities, and have created an amazing web of farmers, parents and community volunteers enriching the programming.
Here is a snapshot of why we are so inspired the farm to school program at Gabriola Elementary facilitated by People for a Healthy Community:
Weekly Hot Lunch Program – Every week, 160 students enjoy nutritious, made-from-scratch hot lunches that incorporate produce harvested by from the garden and are prepared with help from students.
Weekly Gardening Workshops – Across the seasons and grades, students get their hands dirty learning, growing, stewarding and snacking in the garden.
Annual Full-School Farm Field Trips – This year was the 4th annual spring farm field trip extravaganza! Supported by PAC funds, farm field trips are busy days of hands-on farm fun in the community for the whole school.
Special Events: Apple Day and Leek Day – Whole school seasonal celebrations with cooking and eating delicious donated produce. Leek Day was a new addition this year, and was an opportunity for a cultural food connection with students making delicious Korean leek pancakes!
The Sunflower Project – The annual Sunflower Project connects students to the community across generations. Students save sunflower seeds in the fall, grow seedlings in the spring, and gift the seedlings to community volunteers and seniors, along with handmade thank-you cards. This project teaches students the full cycle of garden growth and the importance of giving back to community.
