Farm to School Education: Exploring the Role of Farm to School in Holistic Adolescent Development

Efforts to combat the negative impacts of our modern food system, including health issues and environmental degradation, are gaining momentum through initiatives like the farm to school movement. The farm to school movement, particularly in the United States, focuses on integrating gardening and food-related activities into school curricula to reconnect individuals with fresh produce, instill healthy eating habits, and promote local agriculture while reducing environmental harm. This holistic approach to education emphasizes the "whole child," aiming to enhance academic achievement, as well as social, emotional, and physical wellbeing. However, despite its potential benefits, farm to school education still faces challenges such as limited resources and institutional support, highlighting the need for further research and integration into mainstream education to fully realize its potential in fostering sustainable relationships with food and the environment. This study provides insight into Farm-school KC, a unique example of a school utilizing a farm setting to support the holistic development of adolescents aged 12-18. Through the qualitative methods interviews, participant observation, and focus groups, the study identified themes such as real-world learning, responsibility through work, building community, moving and connecting to the outdoors, and learning to care for others, demonstrating how farm to school education supports the whole child. While the findings align with existing research on farm to school initiatives, the unique characteristics of Farm-school KC offer new perspectives on approaches to integrating farm to school education into school systems.