Garden2Table took the cake and won best exhibit overall at last weekend’s College Royal. Partnering with a local organic farm and elementary school, the HTM-student-led program teaches children about where their food comes from.

Julia Withers, a fourth-year tourism management student and one of four student-managers of Garden2Table, took a unique approach to promoting their exhibit to College Royal visitors.

“I dressed up as a Royal Garden2Table Princess in a maroon ball gown and gold jewels,” she says.

This year, Garden2Table offered a “Royal Café,” using organic and locally-sourced foods. The exhibit also featured educational displays about natural and processed foods, vegetable identification and litter-less school lunches. Visitors were also invited to the real food laboratory, which Withers describes as “consistently busy.”

Withers has been attending College Royal since before she became a U of G student.

“With every single experience, I have seen families make long-lasting memories with their children, witnessed a huge transfer of knowledge and social interaction, and watched proud, positive students showcase their programs, their research, their ongoing success, and most importantly, a strong commitment to serving and engaging the community,” she says.