A partnership between the Litchfield High School, Lutheran Social Services, and Kids of the Kingdom Daycare Center has received a $15,000 LYFT Pathways Innovation award collaboratively work with our FCS and Horticulture school classes to provide greens/vegetables/ fruits to supplement food preparation for our local Meals on Wheels community program, daycare meals, and school culinary labs two days per week. Students will receive a FCS Farm to Table Certificate and a ServSafe Certification.

Through STEM Career Exploration through Hydroponics and FCS project, students will gain not only skilled credentials in safety and sanitation through ServSafe but also work experiences that expose them to career opportunities that exist in pathways such as culinary, nutrition, food inspection, agribusiness, farming, healthcare, hospitality, and more. According to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, Food Preparation and Serving related occupations in Central Minnesota have a projected growth rate of 9.3% between 2016 and 2026 and rank number 5 in the region for current demand. In addition, Supervisors and cooks in the region’s food service industry rank among the top 12 in demand jobs. In addition, Agricultural and Food Science Technician careers are expected to grow by 15% in the region.

Students would learn hands-on about farm to table hydroponics by working to collaboratively grow leafy greens, vegetables, and fruits to be used in high school and middle school experiential learning labs, while also supporting our local Meals on Wheels & Kids of the Kingdom Daycare intergenerational nutritional daily meal preparation.

For more information contact Linda Heggedal-Gust at Litchfield Public Schools.