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Mount Gambier High School launches life-skills program for Year 9 students - Mount Gambier, SA
Smart summary
A new nine-week kitchen program is teaching students budgeting, meal planning, cooking and food safety while supporting wellbeing and food security.
Mount Gambier High School has launched a new Independent Kitchen Group program designed to help Year 9 students develop practical life skills while supporting student wellbeing and families experiencing food insecurity. The nine-week initiative combines hands-on cooking with lessons in budgeting, meal planning, smart shopping, healthy eating and food safety.
The program is being led by Middle School Wellbeing Manager Jodi Moon and is funded through a Department for Education grant. It has been developed to provide students with practical skills that can be used at home and later in independent living.
A major component of the program is preparing nutritious meals that students can take home and share with their families through the school's community freezer. This approach allows students to practise cooking while also helping provide additional food support to households.
The school says the program is particularly focused on students who may have limited cooking experience, be disengaged from traditional classroom learning or face challenges accessing balanced meals. By combining practical activities with education, the initiative aims to make learning more relevant while building confidence and independence.
Students will learn how to plan meals within a budget, make informed shopping decisions and prepare healthy food safely. These skills are intended to give young people greater confidence in managing everyday responsibilities and making healthier choices.
The program also incorporates goal-setting and community connection. Students will participate in practical cooking sessions and projects that encourage teamwork and responsibility rather than simply completing classroom-based assignments.
Another important feature is its connection to the SACE curriculum. Students who successfully complete the program can receive 10 SACE credits through an Integrated Learning SACE Learning and Assessment Plan, giving the practical course an additional educational pathway.
The initiative responds to concerns that some young people arrive at school without enough food or without access to balanced meals. By providing both practical education and meals for families, the school hopes the program can address immediate food-security concerns while also developing skills that remain useful long after students complete the course.
The kitchen-based format also provides an alternative learning environment for students who may find conventional classroom activities challenging. Working together to prepare meals can encourage communication, cooperation, confidence and responsibility.
Mount Gambier High School expects the program to have benefits extending beyond the nine-week course. Students will leave with greater knowledge about healthy food, budgeting and meal preparation, while families can benefit from the meals produced through the community freezer.
The launch represents a broader approach to student wellbeing that combines education with practical support. Rather than focusing solely on academic outcomes, the program aims to prepare students for everyday life and strengthen their connection with their families and community.
StudentsProgramSchoolMealsPractical
Mount Gambier High School has launched a new Independent Kitchen Group program designed to help Year 9 students develop practical life skills while supporting student wellbeing and families experiencing food insecurity. The nine-week initiative combines hands-on cooking with lessons in budgeting, meal planning, smart shopping, healthy eating and food safety.
The program is being led by Middle School Wellbeing Manager Jodi Moon and is funded through a Department for Education grant. It has been developed to provide students with practical skills that can be used at home and later in independent living.
A major component of the program is preparing nutritious meals that students can take home and share with their families through the school's community freezer. This approach allows students to practise cooking while also helping provide additional food support to households.
The school says the program is particularly focused on students who may have limited cooking experience, be disengaged from traditional classroom learning or face challenges accessing balanced meals. By combining practical activities with education, the initiative aims to make learning more relevant while building confidence and independence.
Students will learn how to plan meals within a budget, make informed shopping decisions and prepare healthy food safely. These skills are intended to give young people greater confidence in managing everyday responsibilities and making healthier choices.
The program also incorporates goal-setting and community connection. Students will participate in practical cooking sessions and projects that encourage teamwork and responsibility rather than simply completing classroom-based assignments.
Another important feature is its connection to the SACE curriculum. Students who successfully complete the program can receive 10 SACE credits through an Integrated Learning SACE Learning and Assessment Plan, giving the practical course an additional educational pathway.
The initiative responds to concerns that some young people arrive at school without enough food or without access to balanced meals. By providing both practical education and meals for families, the school hopes the program can address immediate food-security concerns while also developing skills that remain useful long after students complete the course.
The kitchen-based format also provides an alternative learning environment for students who may find conventional classroom activities challenging. Working together to prepare meals can encourage communication, cooperation, confidence and responsibility.
Mount Gambier High School expects the program to have benefits extending beyond the nine-week course. Students will leave with greater knowledge about healthy food, budgeting and meal preparation, while families can benefit from the meals produced through the community freezer.
The launch represents a broader approach to student wellbeing that combines education with practical support. Rather than focusing solely on academic outcomes, the program aims to prepare students for everyday life and strengthen their connection with their families and community.
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