From Garden to Cafeteria: Tiger Ventures Students Harvest Own Healthy Meals

Students at Tiger Ventures in Endicott are getting a hands-on lesson in healthy eating by turning their hard work in the garden into fresh meals in the cafeteria.

For the past several weeks, students have been rolling up their sleeves in the school garden, planting, tending, and harvesting fresh produce right on campus. The initiative is part of the Union-Endicott Central School District’s Farm-to-School program, which aims to give teenagers a direct understanding of where their food comes from and how it is grown.

"It can be very hot out there," said Aros Trahan, a 9th-grade student at Tiger Ventures/LWW. "But it's also just like really nice to know where your food is coming from and the fact that you're helping grow your own. It's actually really nice to know."

Those efforts came full circle in the cafeteria as students taste-tested pasta fagioli prepared with fresh kale, parsley, and garlic harvested straight from their garden beds. Program organizers hope dishes made with student-grown ingredients will eventually become a regular fixture on the school lunch menu.

"Knowing actually how food is grown, how it can be prepared, and then getting that kind of full story of where food comes from is really important for students who would otherwise not have that opportunity," said Hannah Ogborn, Farm to School Coordinator. "And it gets a greater appreciation, I think, for the people that are growing—their farmers."

The initiative is a collaborative effort between Cornell Cooperative Extension, Broome-Tioga BOCES Nutritional Services, and the Rural Health Network of South Central New York. Organizers say the ultimate goal goes beyond adding fresh greens to school trays; it empowers students to take control of their health, build practical life skills, and develop a lasting respect for agriculture.