CORINDI Public School and Woolgoolga High School will join the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program thanks to support from the Costa Group, which has farms locally.
The schools are among 10 additional schools and early childhood services to join the program as part of Costa’s three-year partnership with the gardening foundation.
This includes a shared commitment to educating as many children as possible about the many different types of fresh food, including how it is grown, and the ways in which it can be prepared and enjoyed.
Through the Kitchen Garden Program members will experience meaningful connections between education, agriculture, Costa staff and local communities.
“Our vision for the Kitchen Garden Program is to create a vibrant, hands-on learning environment where students connect with nature and develop lifelong skills in sustainability, healthy eating, and environmental stewardship,” said Corindi Public School classroom teacher, Alison Freudenstein.
“We aim to build a sense of community by involving families, staff, and local partners, encouraging shared responsibility and pride.
“We also hope to reduce food waste through composting and see students making healthier choices as they enjoy fresh produce they have grown themselves.”
At Woolgoolga High School the goal is to create a vibrant, sustainable garden that serves as a hub for practical learning and community involvement.
“The impact will be seen not only in the growth of the garden but also in the growth of our students as proactive, health-conscious individuals who appreciate the value of fresh, home-grown food,” said Gavin Whitburn, Woolgoolga High School’s agriculture teacher.
“This funding will be instrumental in helping us achieve our vision by upgrading the Woolgoolga High School garden infrastructure to support an expanded and more effective Kitchen Garden Program.
“Specifically, the funds will enable us to update the irrigation system by installing overhead sprinklers, ensuring consistent and efficient watering of our vegetable beds.”
Through the sponsorship educators will receive a two-year Kitchen Garden Program membership, providing them with the knowledge, tools and inspiration to deliver hands-on food education.
An infrastructure grant to support their kitchen garden activities is also included.
The funding may be used for anything from repairing or building garden beds to purchasing cooking equipment and establishing composting systems – ensuring each setting has what it needs to bring the program to life.
The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation founded by Stephanie Alexander AO at Collingwood College in 2004.
The Kitchen Garden Program is recognised worldwide as a proven, impactful, curriculum-linked framework that delivers learning, wellbeing and sustainability benefits for children and young people and the families and communities that surround them.
Over 1000 early childhood services, primary schools and secondary schools across Australia run the Kitchen Garden Program.
By Andrea FERRARI
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