Cave Hill and Frederick Smith Secondary School Celebrate Transformative Learning Initiative
June 16, 2026
Dr Singh and student Jermone Goddard discuss the hydroponics system as fellow student Azari Straughn looks on
Seeds planted over the past seven weeks at the Frederick Smith Secondary School have yielded far more than crops of leafy greens. They have produced young leaders, budding entrepreneurs and a blueprint for educational transformation.
Through the “Learning Cooperative: Securing Futures, Saving Lives” initiative, spearheaded by The University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill Campus, in partnership with Frederick Smith Secondary School (FSSS), fifteen male students participated in a structured, seven-week programme designed to integrate agriculture, and social-emotional learning while strengthening academic skills and leadership capacity through hands-on, production-based learning.
Led by the School of Education (SOE) and the Centre for Agricultural Research and Innovation (CAGRI) at The UWI Cave Hill, the 15 students were also introduced to entrepreneurship through the development of value-added products, including pesto and ice cream made from their own harvest.
Partnerships with Communities
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Director of the School of Education, Dr. Laurette Bristol, described the initiative as a lived expression of engaged scholarship and educational leadership.
“This is not about superficial change, but about ensuring that school communities understand the nature of their educational challenges and build partnerships with communities to respond to the need for education as sustainable and regenerative,” she said.
Dr. Bristol emphasized that meaningful educational transformation requires collaboration among schools, families and communities, noting that parents and support networks are essential partners in making learning relevant and impactful. She also highlighted the importance of curriculum integration and creating authentic learning experiences that respond to the realities and interests of students.
Director of CAGRI, Dr. Michele Singh, said the project emerged from a shared belief that education should connect academic theory with the practical realities of modern agriculture.
“We knew that if we connected academic theory with the practical, revenue-driven reality of modern agriculture, we could create something truly transformative,” she said.
Dr. Singh credited the partnership between CAGRI and the School of Education for creating an environment in which students could thrive. While CAGRI provided technical expertise and economic standards in agriculture, the School of Education infused the programme with socio-emotional learning, teamwork and behavioural support.
“This achievement was built entirely on a powerful partnership,” she said.
Entrepreneurial Instincts
Throughout the programme, students established and maintained hydroponic and soilless production systems, gaining experience in crop management and food processing. Dr. Singh noted that many of the participants already possessed entrepreneurial instincts and quickly assumed ownership of the project.
“They became the true stewards of this project. They took ownership, found their leadership voices and proved that agriculture is a viable, respectable and profitable venture,” she said.
Acting Principal of the Frederick Smith Secondary School, Mrs. Shanelle Waithe, said the initiative had exceeded expectations.
“What started as a targeted programme for a small group of at-risk boys has blossomed into a pilot project that now stands as an exemplar for project-based and integrated learning across this entire institution,” she said.
Blueprint
“These fifteen young men have planted, nurtured, harvested and built a hydroponic system. They are learning to resolve conflict, to show up for one another and to take pride in something they built with their own hands. In doing so, they have given this school something far greater than fifteen individual success stories—they have given us a blueprint.”
The closing ceremony featured testimonials from student participants and teachers, the presentation of certificates of participation and a student-led tour of the project facilities. Attendees also had the opportunity to sample and purchase products created by the students.
The initiative forms part of the broader Enhancing School Improvement and Transformation in Barbados: The SOE Cave Hill Engaged Scholarship Project, which seeks to strengthen educational outcomes through authentic partnerships and innovative approaches to teaching and learning.
As the students proudly showcased the results of their labour, the event served as a reminder that education can flourish when schools, universities and communities work together to create meaningful opportunities for young people.
