Feeding Student Growth at Kelliher

Kelliher School's nutrition program is not new, and has been fueling student success through volunteer and community support.

We are extremely proud of this successful initiative and are thrilled with this opportunity to highlight the positive impact this program is having on students and the community.

Kelliher Nutrition Program

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every school has a story is just happens to begin in the kitchen in rural communities like Kelleher schools become much more than places where children come to learn I'm gathering places support systems safe spaces sometimes they become the place where students receive the healthiest and most consistent meal don't eat all day but over time we discovered something food could do much more than fill empty stomachs could create belonging our story didn't begin with G if he has people years ago the kitchen attached to Our Community Hall existed but there was much inside no expensive equipment no established nutrition program just to believe that together our community could build something meaningful we started another lady started precious meals snacks milk with currently how is your day so we just had a little so we would serve I baked buns so we would serve homemade subs did you use the funds for befriending extra dance like the ski trip for the little kids we worked volleyball tournaments and after-school activities and any of the money went to either into the kids activities or buying things for the kitchen yeah and then kids seem to the kids really liked it so looking back you weren't simply raising money we were building a culture culture built on generosity volunteerism community on the belief that every student deserved opportunities they might not otherwise have I see your tasks that Vision continue to grow soon our School Division recognized I need for nutrition support in our school and created a nutrition coordinator position what had once depended entirely on volunteer effort now had dedicated leadership strength by student involvement they are program sir every student from pre-kindergarten through grade 12 every school day begins with breakfast and students receive daily healthy snacks monthly free whole school meals provide additional opportunities for students to gather around daily emergency lunches ensure no child goes without our original canteen continues to operate offering treats and a daily paid hot lunch program the ball and any funds generated help sustain the nutrition program the people ask what I do they usually smile cuz they're really is a simple answer yeah I prepare meals I order groceries and I organized the kitchen but so much of this work happens while before anyone sits down to eat I spend a lot of time planning meals that are nutritious affordable interesting I want students to experience Foods they may never have tried before and feel excited about eating healthy and trying new things some of my favorite memories are watching a student say something new for the very first time we're seeing all the students probably serve younger students during our school meals food has a way of bringing people together it creates conversation build confidence teaches life skills remind students that someone cares about them that's what makes this work so meaningful and why I go every day and come home with the happy heart stop speaking program and started becoming part of our school culture overtime or work became rooted in connection to the land and one another local indigenous food sovereignty reciprocity develop healthy really food as our understanding of nutrition grew so did our understanding of community one of the most meaningful expressions of that belief became Are Better Together initiative where the entire School gathers around 12 people older students prepare the room and serve the meal Big Buddy sit beside little bunnies eat with students and community members to join in on the fun females aren't complicated but they are intentional because belonging doesn't happen by accident it grows through shared experiences who gave us an excuse to slow down together to listen to celebrate and to care for one another this became even clearer during the national school food Forum we were privileged to attend in Montreal while visiting the community gardens in kanawaukee we heard a message that has continued to shape our work we cannot connect if we do not know who we are as our Network grow we learn that when we talk about food we are never just talking about food we are talking about land animals plant families grief and memories Community relationships and ultimately identity because food has a remarkable way of connecting all those things those words resonated with us and reminded us that teaching students about food isn't about growing vegetables are preparing healthy meals by helping students understand themselves their stories their families their cultures their communities only then can they truly begin to understand the relationship they have with support through the indigenous food waste Grant gave us the opportunity to begin living out that philosophy students participated by led by elders and now it's Keepers they learned that every part of the body has a purpose they crushed chokecherries with the comparin they made Sonic together do you learn skills they listened to stories they ask questions and they don't relationship began serving bison and Elk as part of play free lunches for every student for some students those were familiar food for others they were entirely new experiences every experience became an opportunity to learn one of the greatest strengths of our nutrition program our kitchen is found in relationships people have chosen to share their time knowledge and gifts with our students Farmers families volunteers Elder Knowledge Keepers agriculture partner Community organization we celebrated culture together not one culture all cultures because our students deserve to grow up seeing culture standing beside one another every partnership reminder that learning doesn't stop at the classroom door I read Elder nutrition program another project grew alongside then what started as a small community gardens has become an extension of our nutrition program indoor garden Towers allow students to grow fresh greens throughout the year root vegetables from our Gardens help support our meals each ball while teaching sustainability responsibility and stewardship students don't simply learn where food comes from they become a part of the story we continue working to strengthen those connections while encouraging more staff and families to become part of this work because in communities like ours schools often become more than school they provide food hampers we can fit support and we share meals we look after one another that's simply what community does and no one can explain why this work matters better than our students are bills every day how do you spell nutrition program bring their best our students remind us why this work matters looking back it's incredible to see how far we've come to asking a simple question how can we our students today we're asking a much bigger one how can food help every child know where they come from who they are and now they belong

Published October 6, 2026 Print