SCA Secondary students prepare a meal in the school’s new Community Kitchen course.

Sherwood Park, AB. — Strathcona Christian Academy (SCA) Secondary students are cooking up compassion in the school’s new Community Kitchen course. Students in the course cook food and cater events to support their school and community organizations.

“This class has given me chances to learn more about what the Bible says about helping out the community—not only do we hear about it, but we put it into effect and actually take the steps to help out,” says Samara Bonnell, a Grade 11 student at SCA Secondary. “I’ve learned so much about my community through this class. It’s been super fulfilling to be able to help and hear about the good that’s coming from this.”

Already, SCA Secondary students have found success within the course, creating more than:

• 5,400 baked goods;
• 730 meals for youth centres with Youth Unlimited;
• 900 meals and 400 bagged lunches for We Care;
• 40 loaves of banana bread for the Strathcona Food Bank;
• 150 muffins for a regional sports inclusion program; and
• 1,800 meals for the school’s concession.

Students have also catered 12 school events and 10 Sherwood Park Alliance Church events so far. “As staff, we’re so excited to see a group of our young people investing in serving others through the area of food,” says Debbie Higgs, an educational assistant at SCA Secondary. “They’re realizing more and more that food can be the catalyst to deeper meaningful relationships and helping others find a place to belong.”

The course allows students to live out their Christian mission in service to others, while community organizations receive support in helping those in need.

The mission of Youth Unlimited is to help Edmonton’s youth discover their unlimited potential and use that potential to positively influence themselves, their peers, their schools and their communities. The organization offers many supports, from community youth centres to mentorship opportunities.

The Sherwood Park Alliance Church runs the program We Care. Every Sunday, the church invites volunteers to hand out bagged lunches and donated clothes to those who need them. The event takes place in a downtown parking lot and relies upon support from the community in packing lunches, donating clothing and sharing the love of Christ.

The Strathcona Food Bank is a non-profit organization providing food to families in need in Sherwood Park and rural Strathcona County. In 2023, the food bank served more than 10,000 adults and more than 7,000 children and teenagers.

Through Community Kitchen, SCA Secondary students are learning valuable knowledge in food preparation, in addition to transferrable skills—such as time management, organization and professionalism—to take with them into life after high school.

“As they provide baked goods to our local food bank, meals to youth drop-in centres and prep lunches for those new to our community, so many SCA students are discovering a new purpose and calling,” adds Higgs.

Elk Island Public Schools is one of Alberta’s largest school divisions, serving approximately 17,950 students in 42 schools. We are proud to be an integral part of our communities, including Sherwood Park, Fort Saskatchewan, Vegreville, Strathcona and Lamont counties, and the western portion of the County of Minburn.

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For more information, media can contact:
Laura McNabb, Director, Communication Services, EIPS 780-417-8204 cell 780-405-4902