Brocklehurst Middle School, Kamloops, BC
What grew out of the Farm to School Salad Bar program at Brock Middle School in Kamloops, BC? Food literacy momentum! Central to that food literacy momentum? The establishment of a new Sustainability class. Sustainability students donned critical thinking caps to assess and plan activities they might undertake within the school and the community to get more healthy local foods on everyone’s plate. Armed with a plan they then rolled up their sleeves and took action.
Sustainability students, along with students in Foods classes, stepped out into the community to help plant a community garden plot. They also helped plant a vegetable garden for a student’s family. Produce from the community garden was used in Foods classes. Students learned to grow food, process food (dehydrate, can, make jelly, make granola and other healthy food) and how to reduce food waste. In the fall, students will incorporate the harvest ( including their own grown vegetables) in the Farm to School Salad Bar.
Sustainability students also visited a local farm, and the Farmers’ Market to gain an appreciation of where their food comes from. They also had an opportunity to visit and participate in food literacy activities at the Kamloops Gleaning Abundance Program, Gardengate and the local Seniors Centre. A portion of the foods grown and harvested through these agencies was donated to the school.
When the Sustainability class students noticed that many of the School District subsidized lunches were thrown away, they met with the City of Kamloops to develop and plan a waste audit of school garbage. The school obtained two Jora Composters and placed food waste containers in many classes. The result? A significant amount of food waste is no longer going in to regular garbage and community landfill!
Over 35 students have registered in the Food Sustainability class for September. These students will be an integral part of organizing and running the Farm to School Salad Bar. They will be preparing the food for the salad bar, marketing the salad bar and running the daily operation.
The Farm to Salad Bar has been the impetus for food literacy activity beyond the Sustainability class. Teachers have engaged students in the Spuds in Tubs program; they have hosted a mobile dairy lab for students; and they have invited an Action Schools BC! Food Literacy Mentor comes speak to students about food literacy.
We are proud to say that many of our students are learning the entire food system and positive change is happening at Brock Middle School!
