Fishing school takes students out of the classroom and out on the water

Students at a St. John's high school are working with two non-profit organizations to get local food in schools — and to build community connections.

Holy Heart of Mary High School has partnered with Farm to Cafeteria and Fishing for Success to deepen students' understanding of food security issues through hands-on learning.

Holy Heart student Anna Murphy says she's had a great experience with the Farm to Cafeteria program.

"I would definitely say a highlight of the program for me is the fact that everything is so hands on, because I find for me a lot of stuff [is] very hands off or it just feels like you're not doing anything" Said Murphy.

Nutrition teacher Becky Winsor brought the national Farm to Cafeteria program to the school last year after it lost its cafeteria service and needed to find a solution to fill the hungry bellies at her school. Through the program, students in her nutrition classes have worked hard to feed hundreds of their peers.

"The nutrition classes cooked everything and put everything together with help from some of the staff at Food First and we served about 200 students, which was incredible. It was a really, really great experience." said Windsor.

Rising food prices and inflation is causing food insecurity in many communities, said Winsor, creating a sense of urgency for the students to make more meals for the school.

Farm to Cafeteria aims to provide fresh and healthy food in schools, as well as hands-on learning through community connections. The program helps students develop lifelong healthy eating habits and improve food literacy by teaching them how to grow, cook and eat healthy sustainable food.

Kimberly Orren, a former high school science teacher turned fisherman, co-founded Fishing for Success, a nonprofit social enterprise in Petty Harbour, a few years ago to connect the youth of Newfoundland and Labrador with their fishing heritage.

Orren incorporated the organization to get as many young people out on the water as possible and to start conversations about food sustainability. Fishing for Success has received a licence from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to be able to do that and to work with schools for educational purposes.

Fishing for Success's Sea to School program aims to build knowledge and skills that students can use while learning about the environment and food sustainability — a filleting demonstration on a boat can turn into a science lesson.

"We want to combat climate change, contribute to food sovereignty through better local seafood access, and that includes working with young people in schools or young people in other youth programs." said Orren.

Through a collaboration between the two organizations, Holy Heart students recently had the opportunity to go to Petty Harbour and learn about many different aspects of the fishery, including the benefits of sustainability and the influence of the fishery on Newfoundland and Labrador.

Student Cecilia Hollett says she's been able to make sense of what they're learning because of the hands-on approach.