How do you engage students in the study of plants, farming, and food? At Sisters High School, hands-on learning is key. Local nonprofit Seed to Table has provided funding, educators, supplies, and support for SHS Sustainable Agriculture education since 2013, when founder Audrey Tehan started the program in the school's greenhouse, originally backed by the Science Club, school administrators and teachers.
Educator Kaci Rae Christopher is the author of "The School Garden Curriculum: A K–8 Guide to Discovering Science, Ecology, and Whole-Systems Thinking." She evolved the Seed to Table program's approach during the challenging years of the Covid pandemic. She was excited to adapt a curriculum previously developed by Seed to Table's Tehan and Caroline Hager.
Former student Annie Cohen described the greenhouse as a safe space, with "a mixture of people that I'd never really talked to before, all different grade levels. It was nice to grow closer with some other students in my community. Everybody's ideas were shared and talked about."
Over the years, the greenhouse has been important to additional programs including Transitions and Garden Club. Students have grown food for local groups and school staff.
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