LEAD Cameron Greenhouse Program Combines Culture and Classroom Learning Through End-of-Year Project
At LEAD Cameron Middle School, student learning is not limited to textbooks or traditional classroom assignments. Last spring, students in Courtney Elko and Paige Dudek’s Greenhouse class brought their learning to life through a meaningful end-of-year project that combined math, language development, and culture.
LEAD Cameron’s Greenhouse Program is a multidisciplinary learning program that serves students who are new to the U.S. or learning English. The Greenhouse Program provides a sheltered space for students to build language skills and confidence through unique, hands-on projects.
For Greenhouse’s end-of-year project, students selected a recipe from their home country that held personal or cultural significance. They then created presentations to share the story behind the recipe, explaining why the dish mattered to them, their families, or their culture.
The project was more than a celebration of food, it was an example of how academic skills can connect directly to students’ identities and lived experiences. Greenhouse Instructional Manager Katherine Ackerly shared that students used their knowledge of ratios and fractions from math this year to determine both cost and quantity for each ingredient students needed based on their class size, giving them real-world practice with problem-solving, planning, and budgeting.
“Not only was this a great time for students to showcase their backgrounds, but it was also a great opportunity for students to display all of the English they learned this year,” Rachel Roeschen, ELL Director at the NeST, shared. During their presentations, students explained the cultural and personal significance of their chosen recipes, shared facts with their peers, and spoke with confidence about something that mattered to them. For many of Cameron’s Greenhouse students, especially those who have been in the country for less than two years, this type of extended oral presentation is a major milestone.
The project also aligned closely with the ELPA21 Proficiency Level Descriptors, which identify language goals for English learners. Greenhouse students at this level are expected to give a short oral presentation, share information using phrases or simple sentences, and include a few key facts. That is exactly what students accomplished through this project, but in a way that felt personal and authentic.
At LEAD Public Schools, we believe students learn best when they feel seen, supported, and challenged. Projects like this show what makes LEAD a strong school option for families, especially those who are active English language learners. Students are not only building academic skills; they are also developing confidence, strengthening their voices, and seeing their cultures and identities honored as part of the classroom experience.
