SANDPOINT — With the sun shining down, students from Lake Pend Oreille High School made a brisk walk to cap off their Teen Living class by delivering plants to the Bonner Community Food Bank. 

Led by Culinary Arts teacher Rand Rosecrans as part of his elective class, which teaches students to show kindness while learning real-life skills, students put their plants out for pick up on the west side of the food bank. Rosecrans said he’s very connected to the food bank and loves it because it’s a prime example of the community working together. 

“Part of my philosophy is that if you can give to your community, it will give back to you,” Rosecrans said. “I love the food bank, because there's no government involvement. It’s the people of this town feeding the people of this town, and so that's why I'm really happy to teach the kids about it, get them involved here, and to show them what's available.” 

All the plants delivered to the food bank were grown by the LPO students as part of Rosecrans’ class in the campus greenhouse. The students brought cucumbers, tomatoes, amaranth and more, which residents can pick up at the food bank to start their own gardens. 

Rosecrans’ time at LPO is up at the end of this school year, which he said will end the Teen Living class. Juliet Mercer, a sophomore at LPO, said that she loves Rosecrans, who students affectionately refer to as ‘Chef,’ and that he has brought a different perspective to her world. 

“He made me see different perspectives on things, like no matter what people think of you, you show how you want to be seen,” Mercer. “Sometimes [the class] gets annoying when it's hot out like right now and I’m sweating, but I don’t know — I love this class.” 

Another one of Rosecrans’ students, Ash Lally, echoed a similar sentiment, saying she loved taking part in the hands-on class. Before taking the class two years ago, Lally said she didn’t know anything about gardening. However, after taking the class, she was able to grow her own garden last summer. 

Debbie Love, executive director of the Bonner Community Food Bank, said she loves the involvement of students in the food bank. Love added that this program is special because it allows families in the community to grow food for themselves and, oftentimes, enough to give fresh produce back to the food bank. 

In addition to delivering the plants, Love said that for the last four years, Rosecrans has been bringing his students to get the community garden flower beds ready for the planting season. 

“The involvement of the students is great for our schools and the broader community,” Love said. “I also love that we can count on them every spring to come and turn the beds and get them ready for the season. It’s been a pleasure working with Rand for the last decade.” 

Rosecrans said he thinks the nation has gotten away from understanding how important agriculture and food is, influencing his choice to center a lot of his class around growing plants. 

“We don't teach kids enough responsibility, how they need to be taking responsibility for things themselves,” Rosecrans said. “The world isn't here to provide you a thing; it's tough, it sucks sometimes, it's not fair. Get used to it and grow some of your own food.” 

    Bonner Community Food Bank Executive Director Debbie Love helps a student from Lake Pend Oreille High School carry plants to the west side of the building.
  

    Sophomore at Lake Pend Oreille High School, Juliet Mercer, hands Bonner County Food Bank Executive Director Debbie Love one of the plants that the class grew.