Dunning-Foubert Students Cultivate Change with Food Security Project

Dunning-Foubert Students Cultivate Change with Food Security Project
Posted on 02/22/2023
Dunning-Foubert Students Cultivate Change with Food Security ProjectThis year, Dunning-Foubert Elementary School planted the seeds for a multi-year project that empowers students to take action on food security and sustainability.

Grade 7-8 classes were invited to reflect on the question: “How are we going to feed the community?” Each student planned and submitted a proposal. Their ideas included growing produce for the school lunch program, building a compost system, and creating a website to raise funds for the local food bank.

Students collaborated to create a wide range of gardening setups. They built outdoor garden beds provided by Growing Up Organic, indoor grow towers, and aquaponic systems, where they began growing microgreens, mushrooms, kale, and garlic. Soon, the school will introduce a plant growth chamber, provided by the District’s Innovation and Adolescent Learning department.

The classes hope to share their harvest with their peers and local community, while building a vibrant school garden system that can be used for years to come.

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Through this cross-curricular project, students are exploring the science of food systems, using math to measure their progress, and creating photo essays for an end-of-year showcase. Whether they’re constructing garden beds or building websites, they are learning how to collaborate and solve real-world problems.
Each class is exploring the same topic in a different way, unique to their perspectives and lived experiences. 

The classes took a field trip to Sir Guy Carleton Secondary School, where they explored the greenhouse and learned about the horticulture program. This spring, they’ll also have opportunities to connect with local non-profits like Parkdale Food Table to learn about community food programs and food preservation techniques.

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Led by educators Lynn Ballantyne, Kim Daoust, Allison Grimes, Sarah Nagy, and Kelly Walker, this initiative enables students to apply their unique interests and skills toward a common goal. The project was supported by the OCDSB Innovation and Adolescent Learning Department, which provided materials and facilitated community partnerships to help grow the idea into a successful learning opportunity. 

Here’s what some of the staff and students had to say about their experience:


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