This year, the new Food and Sustainability Class has given students the opportunity to explore different cuisines from around the world. 

  Co-taught by chemistry teacher Suzanne Clark and science department Head Tammy Fay, the class is in its first year of installment, but it has been in the works since the summer of 2019.  

  “The Sustainability and Food Ed class became an idea when I attended professional development at an estate in upstate New York. I spent a week on their farm and they took us on field trips and we talked about equity in relationship to food and the importance of food and exploring it, and I really liked the work that they were doing,” said Fay. “That week I spent time with educators from across the country and I was inspired by schools that were using the curriculum.”

  When Clark learned about the potential for Food and Sustainability class, she was very excited to get involved. 

  “I teach environmental science, and part of that is food and sustainability and growing food for eight billion people in the world and so I thought this class was a great opportunity,” said Clark.  

  For Fay, the content that is being taught in Sustainability and Food Education class is very important for students to learn. 

  “This is related to the earth that we live in, it’s related to the types of things we need to explore to be successful as humans, as well as thinking about all humans and what they bring to that,“ said Fay.

  The course’s curriculum allows students to learn in a very hands-on manner, especially when working with food. 

  “When we are making food and learning techniques, that is where I see the most excitement from students,” said Fay.

  Clark also has seen great value for students through cooking.

  “I have really enjoyed seeing everyone meeting new people and doing new things together. Everyone has their own idea of what good food is. I’ve had so many students with so much background, from making barbecue to ethnic cuisines, different types of cultures. That is what I think is really interesting,” said Clark.  

  Senior Jack Eaton, like both Fay and Clark, enjoys the opportunity to make food in class. 

  “Anytime we cook, I really enjoy and look forward to class,” said Eaton. “The valuable things I have learned are related to cooking, especially the teamwork of organizing people when you’re making something.”

  In Sustainability and Food Ed class, students have been able to create and try many different foods, due to the student-led lessons that students have created and presented to the class in the third quarter.

  “Students have been so involved in making things. We just had a barbecue, and we’ve made tortillas, and they’ve been so excited about cooking,” said Clark.

  Fay appreciates the value in having freedom in the curriculum to allow students to create their own lessons to teach the class.

  “Curriculum sometimes stifles student learning in the sense that you have to learn only certain things. A class like this [has] the freedom to explore something that’s of interest to students. For me, that is what I want young people to walk away with eventually,” said Fay. 

  The value of the project is also felt by Eaton. 

  “The student-led projects are a neat idea and keep the class organized,” said Eaton. “The projects are very cool and there is potential for really awesome content in them.”

  Both Clark and Fay are very excited for what the future of the class holds. 

  “If you are curious and you want to learn more in depth about things, it is a good class for you. If you are willing to learn things in the kitchen, which every young person should do,this class allows students to explore science, culinary, culture, food and how the earth needs to be taken care of,” said Fay.