Since 2022, the Sitka Conservation Society has partnered with Pacific High School to support their School Garden and Food program. This program teaches students to grow, harvest, and process local foods. The food that students grow from the garden is used in the students’ school lunches, giving them a deeper connection to the food they eat, their health, and the natural world. SCS has been proud to help fundraise, support project coordination, and host a School Garden Coordinator position, held by skilled local gardener Andrea Fraga, who helps manage the garden, develop curriculum, and deliver hands-on education for students. In 2023, SCS raised and received commitments in funding to support the garden program, both to develop the garden site and to support the program operations and staffing.
An exciting next step in the vision for Pacific High School’s Edible Garden Program expanding the school’s growing space. With support from Sitka Conservation Society, Sitka Tribe of Alaska, and the Sitka community, a school greenhouse was constructed to allow for youth and staff to grow a greater, more diverse array of foods throughout the academic year.
We want to thank everyone who continues to support this project to make Pacific High's greenhouse a reality. It has been a joy to see this space take root as it helps improve Sitka’s food security and allows for the school's Edible Garden Program to deliver health impacts for Sitka youth through nutritious school meals, community food distribution, and collaborative place-based education.
