Neighbor News
SEEAG To Create Farm Lab Hub at La Colina Junior High School In Santa Barbara
The programs will begin at the start of the 2026-27 school year.
Students for EcoEducation and Agriculture (SEEAG) and the Santa Barbara Unified School District (SBUSD) entered into an agreement in which SEEAG will educate elementary and junior high school students about the origins of food, sustainable farming practices, and potential careers in agriculture at La Colina Junior High School in Santa Barbara.
The programs began at the start ofthe 2026-27school year.
La Colina will host a regional SEEAG FarmLab Hub, bringing together students of multiple age groups for hands-on agricultural and environmental education. Third graders from nearby schools in the district will explore water, plant, and soil science through SEEAG's FarmLab field trips in the existing garden space, while seventh- and eighth-grade students will engage in advanced STEM investigations within two new learning environments: an Agricultural Innovation & STEM Discovery Lab and a California Climate Resilience & Conservation Learning Lab.
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La Colina students will also be able to participate in SEEAG’s “STEM Career Pathways in Agriculture” program. The cost-free, three-part program provides in-class and on-farm learning experiences in agronomy, technology, and engineering, connecting students with industry professionals and providing information on agricultural education pathways.
The program is funded through SEEAG’s community of partners and local grantmakers, meaning there is no cost to the Santa Barbara Unified School District.
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"The La Colina Farm LabHub creates opportunities for students to engage with agriculture at every stage of learning," says Caitlin Paulus Case, SEEAG'sexecutive director.
Elementary students will discover where food comes from through hands-on FarmLab experiences, while La Colina students will explore agricultural innovations, sustainable farming methods, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, and local career pathways.
With college interns and SEEAG staff helping develop curriculum, teach, and maintain the outdoor learning spaces, the La Colina FarmLab Hub will become a collaborative campus where curiosity takes root and agriculture comes to life.
