HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. - On Friday, September 29th, Westminster High School (WHS) held their 6th annual Harvest Day, where students harvested watermelons from the WHS Giving Farm to donate to the OC Food Bank.

In partnership with the OC Food Bank, WHS created The Giving Farm over five years ago to provide locally grown produce to vulnerable families. On this eight-acre farm on Westminster High School’s campus, WHS students, including the WHS FFA (Future Farmers of America) program, student clubs, and community volunteers harvest produce to donate to the OC Food Bank. Thanks to this unique program, students have the opportunity to learn firsthand about the California agricultural industry, urban agriculture, and nutrition education. The OC Food Bank receives approximately 175,000 pounds of locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables from The Giving Farm each year.

During Friday’s Harvest Day, the entire high school collected 28,726 pounds (14.36 tons) of watermelons. Hundreds of students and staff members played a part in making this incredible donation a reality. Lined up in rows, each individual walked through the fields and picked up a watermelon to place in a container for the OC Food Bank. There were smiles visible across the Giving Farm as students and staff reflected on the nature of this event and the positive impact it will have on many.

WHS Principal, Amy Sabol, shared, “Our annual Harvest at the WHS Giving Farm is a tradition our students and staff look forward to every year. By incorporating every student on campus in a schoolwide harvest we take pride in making an impact on our community through our collaboration with the OC Food Bank.”

The Huntington Beach Union High School District is thrilled with this year’s harvest, and we are so proud of the efforts of WHS students, staff, and volunteers who work in partnership with the OC Food Bank to make this event such a huge success. Harvest Day is an incredible opportunity for our students and staff, and we could not be more excited to share our harvest with others.

More photos from Harvest Day can be found in the HBUHSD Pixieset.