Thanks to student Max Pacula for the submitted information and photo about the Wheeler Fresh Collaborative, described as a “cross-curricular collaboration by teachers and students whose goals are to increase community involvement and provide food essentials when and where needed.”
The project’s kickoff event takes place with a dinner theater event in April that’s detailed at the bottom of the post. Here’s what collaborative effort is all about:
This STEAM initiative (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) was originally conceived as a “farm to table” type program but has since evolved to include a food pantry started by Wheeler students and eventually supplemented with contributions from the surrounding community. The Wheeler Fresh Collaborative will utilize expertise from Wheeler’s culinary, horticulture. environmental science, drafting, graphic design, and marketing classes to help ensure fellow Wildcats students have a reliable source of food when needed.
From concept to realization, many classes have helped develop the Wheeler Fresh Collaborative. Drafting students designed the layout of the grow beds for Horticulture. Environmental Science students are studying the soil and growing environment. Horticulture students are growing herbs and vegetables for Culinary. Culinary students are preparing, cooking, and serving the meal. Graphic Design students are creating logos and visuals. Marketing students are branding and promoting the event and the Wheeler Fresh Collaborative program. Wheeler’s Girls Who Code Club members are creating an online ordering system for the Food Pantry.
To officially kick off the Wheeler Fresh Collaborative, Wheeler is hosting a Dinner Theater event this Spring. On April 26th, Wheeler theater students will perform Annie following a limited seating dinner hosted, prepared, and served by Wheeler students. “Through this dinner theater event, we want to showcase the sense of community Wheeler offers which has enabled a program like the Wheeler Fresh Collaborative to exist,” boasts Kelly Feddersen, Sports and Entertainment Marketing teacher and one of the leaders of the Wheeler Fresh Collaborative. On this night, the Wheeler Fresh Collaborative hopes to spread their mission through a fun and entertaining evening.
As the program grows, Wheeler Fresh Collaborative hopes to sustain a food pantry with both Wheeler grown food and other nonperishable items to aid the 41% of Wheeler students who benefit from free and reduced lunch. The hope is the Wheeler Fresh Collaborative helps ease this challenge through a program that demonstrates what can be accomplished when students work together, building a true sense of community.
If you would like to attend the Dinner Theater, tickets can be purchased at https://www.showtix4u.com/events/14519. The event is Friday, April 26th, beginning with the Dinner at 5:30pm, and Annie at 7:00pm. Tickets are $50 for the Dinner + Annie, while tickets for Annie alone are $10. If you would like to donate funds, nonperishable food items, or help in other ways, please email Kelly Feddersen at Kelly.Feddersen@cobbk12.org.
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