Pacific Pines State High School greenhouse program teaches STEM and life skills

It's warm, it's green and, for these students at Pacific Pines State High School, it's definitely not a typical classroom.

Inside this high-tech greenhouse, the class is caring for rows of lettuce, herbs and vegetables.

Pacific Pines is one of nine south-east Queensland schools to benefit from a greenhouse program run by not-for-profit Food Ladder.

The organisation has 68 school greenhouses operating across Australia.

The program aims to tackle food insecurity, but research suggests that learning to grow food could help a student learn maths and science, and even give them a reason to come to school.

From greenhouse to classroom

Year 8 student Lilly Anne Robins said growing produce had given her a new perspective on its value.

"Especially for parents out there, if you don't have a lot of money but you're able to grow all of this produce, vegetables and fruits, it makes you feel a lot better because you know that you've grown this yourself, you've put hard work into it and you get to use it."

Food Ladder chief executive Kelly McJannett said the program is teaching students a valuable life skill.

"This is not a handout, this is not free food, this is food that children have grown and nurtured," she said.

"Students plant the seeds, monitor the conditions and eventually harvest the produce, which can then be taken home or used in cooking classes."

For student Lucy Brock, that connection between the greenhouse and the kitchen was part of the appeal.

"I love being able to cook food for different people that actually comes from our school," she said.

Learning STEM skills by growing food

Inside the greenhouse, the education goes beyond horticulture, taking science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) out of the textbook and applying them to the real world.

Students learn about water temperature, growing conditions and the technology used to maintain the greenhouse environment.

Student Ahmed Maryol said there was more involved than he expected.

"It's not just culinary," he said.

"It's science as well, using the AI, how it's made, how the water goes through it, the fans."

For Lilly Anne, seeing how the plants responded to different conditions changed the way she thought about growing food.

"I thought all water is the same for plants but … the plants rely on the temperature of the water," she said.

Teacher Bridget Gutteridge, who has helped drive the program at Pacific Pines, said interest in the greenhouse was spreading.

"The thing about the greenhouse is that there's so many learning opportunities," she said.

"From STEM, we've had geography classes reach out.

"We've also had business classes interested to grow and then sell their produce as a little side business."

Adolescent-education expert Donna Pendergast, from Griffith Institute for Educational Research, agreed.

"Students are learning practical skills, applying classroom knowledge to real-world problems and working collaboratively," Professor Pendergast said.

"And they can see a direct connection between what they learn at school and everyday life."

A reason to come to school

Professor Pendergast said hands-on food programs could give students a greater sense of purpose, responsibility and belonging.

"Students are really engaged in these programs," she said.

According to Food Ladder, at one school attendance rose from 30 per cent to 90 per cent.

Lessons could last long after students leave school

Food Ladder hopes the program will give students skills they can take with them long after they leave education.

For Ms McJannett, teaching young people how to grow their own food is about more than what ends up on their plate.

"It is just like the adage, 'Teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime'," she said.

"The same applies here. Let's teach them how to grow food, give young people the tools that they need and set them on their path for the future."