News

Introducing The Heights School, South Australia

The Heights School in Modbury Heights, South Australia, received Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program funding from the Australian Government in August 2009. Deputy Principal and Program Coordinator Alison Denee has overseen the implementation phase, with support from Principal Helen Calvert and The Heights School community. The school now has a fully operational kitchen and garden. Kitchen garden classes started in early 2010 under the expert guidance of Garden Specialist Kristin Wohlers and Kitchen Specialist Kylie May.

Five classes participate in garden classes each week. They are divided into groups and complete five to six activities during each 50-minute class. Along with some very impressive sunflowers, the garden has produced basil, bok choy, rainbow chard, snow peas, lettuce, artichokes, leeks and much more.

Science lessons have seen students hunting for minibeasts - identifying creatures that are beneficial to the garden as well as pests. They have enjoyed learning about the white curl grub (no it's not a witchety grub!) and many of them have brought bugs in from their home gardens to examine in class. Activities have also focused on the value of chickens in the garden and the lifecycle of the seed, and they're looking forward to working on water conservation and biodiversity themes.

The Heights School is very lucky to receive donations of produce from the local community to supplement their garden produce. The children have used this produce to cook up a storm in the kitchen, with favourite dishes from this year including onion chutney, basil & pea soup and lemon-curd cupcakes.

The Kitchen Garden Program can't run successfully without dedicated volunteers to assist the Kitchen and Garden Specialists. Kitchen classes run smoothly with the help of Tabatha, who is ‘always there without fail', and Karen, who spends a full day every week volunteering in the garden, ‘heat or rain'.

The children as well as the staff at The Heights are always very excited to welcome visitors to kitchen and garden classes, and are still looking for more volunteers to help with the Program, particularly in the garden. Please contact the school if you are interested in joining the kitchen garden community.