On March 18, 2026, Mass. Farm to School will host its 8th statewide gathering, the Massachusetts Farm & Sea to School Conference, bringing together farm and sea to school advocates from across the Commonwealth for a full day of learning, collaboration, and inspiration. This year’s conference theme, “Building Connections, Resilience, and Joy,” highlights the power of relationships and community-based solutions in strengthening local food systems.
The conference will feature a dynamic mix of workshops, interactive activities, and facilitated discussions designed for school food service professionals, students, educators, policymakers, public health advocates, community organizers, and more. Pre-conference field trips on Tuesday, March 17, will showcase innovative farm and sea to school initiatives, followed by a pre-conference celebration and networking event. All attendees will leave with concrete skills, actionable takeaways, and renewed confidence to create change in their schools and communities.
As part of the conference program, students from HEC Academy have been invited to present a panel discussion titled “Student Civic Engagement in the Food System.” The panel will explore how food systems education can serve as a powerful pathway for student-led civic engagement.
Panel presenters include:
- Amy Stamm, Educator, HEC Academy
- Eric Huston, Educator, HEC Academy
- HEC Academy student civics project participants
- Dinah Mack, Education Program Manager, Mass. Farm to School
- Will Snyder, Educator and Evaluator
- Piyush Labhsetwar, Farm and Land Stewardship Manager, Grow Food Northampton
The session will introduce Mass. Farm to School’s new Food System Civic Engagement Peer Learning Cohort and highlight the work of HEC Academy as a participating school. Attendees will hear directly from educators, students, and community partners about how HEC students are engaging with climate-resilient farming practices and civic action through a partnership with the food justice organization Grow Food Northampton (GFN).
During the 2025–26 school year, HEC students have been working alongside GFN to learn about the impacts of climate change on local agriculture, particularly the increasing frequency of flooding events. After assisting with flood cleanup following the devastating 2023 flood, students chose to focus their civics project on long-term flood mitigation efforts. Their work includes planting fruit trees and strengthening the riparian buffer on GFN farmland—strategies that help to prevent soil erosion and provide food sources that can withstand future flooding.
“We’re excited about this opportunity to highlight HEC students’ community-based climate mitigation work,” said Amy Stamm, Educator at HEC Academy. “This project has allowed students to see how their learning can directly support their community while addressing real-world challenges.”
HEC Academy is a therapeutic, public day special education program serving high school students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). Located in Northampton, Massachusetts, HEC Academy is managed by the Collaborative for Educational Services and is committed to providing meaningful, student-centered learning experiences that connect education, civic engagement, and community partnerships.To learn more about the Massachusetts Farm & Sea to School Conference or to register, visit www.massfarmtoschool.org/conference.
