George Davison School, Medicine Hat, AB
Grant term, 2025-2026
Through grant funding, Nourishing a Community was launched as a school-wide, seed-to-table initiative designed to connect students, families, and community partners through food, culture, and shared learning experiences. The impact has been both immediate and lasting.
A key feature of the project was the introduction of indoor seed-growing in classrooms and our after school Garden Club, supported by grow lights and planting supplies. Students took part in the full growing cycle—planting, nurturing, replanting and, soon, harvesting—while learning about sustainability, local agriculture, and nutrition. Partnerships with prairie greenhouses, the City of Medicine Hat, TRAD Worm Industries (Worming our way to Better Soil), horticulturalists, local farmers, a community chef, and the Root Cellar Food Bank brought real-world expertise into the classroom, making learning authentic and hands-on.
Another powerful component was the creation of our Mosaic Culture Day family recipe book. Families were invited to contribute recipes that reflect their cultural backgrounds, resulting in a rich collection that celebrates the diversity of our school. Students felt an immense sense of pride seeing their cultures and traditions represented, and this experience deepened their understanding of how food connects to identity and belonging. The project culminated in our Mosaic (Culture Day) and Family Day Barbecue, where fresh, locally sourced produce was shared among families, staff, and community partners, strengthening relationships and creating a joyful sense of connection.
The grant’s impact has been transformative. Students have developed stronger food literacy skills, increased confidence in trying and preparing new foods, and a deeper awareness of food security and community care. Most importantly, the project fostered a sense of belonging—students saw their identities reflected, their voices valued, and their contributions celebrated.
Students, staff and families became eager to support our plant growth. One staff member set up calming music to be played in our indoor greenhouse. Other staff members adopted plants to care for in their classrooms. Students signed up to read to the plants and greatly saw the plants as “little babies we were nurturing”. School Council parent members eagerly contributed funding to support the printing of our Cultural Recipe Books.
A standout champion of this initiative was Family School Liaison Worker Brittany LeBlanc, whose passion for community-building helped bring the project to life. She played a critical role in engaging families, communicating with community partnerships, encouraging participation in the recipe book, and ensuring every family felt welcomed and included. Her work stood out because she intentionally built bridges between home, our community, and school, recognizing that food is a powerful connector of identity, story, family and belonging.
Aligned with our values of Belong, Respect, Grow, Nourishing a Community has strengthened not only student learning, but also relationships across our entire school community. The grant enabled us to move beyond isolated activities and create a cohesive, meaningful approach to food education—one that nourishes both body and community.
This initiative has demonstrated that when schools center food, culture, and connection, they cultivate more than knowledge—they cultivate belonging. We plan to continue this initiative and consistently build on our learning. Next steps are composting and supporting a local community garden near our school.
