Chef Christopher McGee removes chicken cacciatore from the oven while directing Ecology Learning Center students Katie Leach, 17, left, and Jack Williamson, 17, as they made lunch in the kitchen MOFGA’s exhibition hall kitchen in Unity on Tuesday. The food was transported to the center for serving. The Ecology Learning Center is one of the few schools in Maine where students play a significant role in growing, preparing, cooking and serving food to fellow classmates and staff. Students prepared and served the meal to about 60 students and staff members at the center.

Chef Italian rice balls cool as, from left, Christopher McGee and Ecology Learning Center students Jack Williamson, 17, Katie Leach, 17, and Jimmy Leach, 15, prepare a meal in the kitchen of MOFGA’s exhibition hall in Unity on Tuesday. The food was loaded into a van and transported to the center for serving. The Ecology Learning Center is one of the few schools in Maine where students play a significant role in growing, preparing, cooking and serving food to fellow classmates and staff. Students prepared and served the meal to about 60 students and staff members at the center.

Assistant chef AnnMarie Zabrocki creates a beet salad tray while working with Ecology Learning Center students as they prepared a meal in the kitchen of MOFGA’s exhibition hall in Unity on Tuesday. The food was loaded into a van and transported to the center for serving. The Ecology Learning Center is one of the few schools in Maine where students play a significant role in growing, preparing, cooking and serving food to fellow classmates and staff. Students prepared and served the meal to about 60 students and staff members at the center.

Chef Christopher McGee, center, directs Ecology Learning Center students from left Katie Leach, 17, Jimmy Leach, 15, and Jack Williamson, 17, as they prepared a meal in the kitchen of MOFGA’s exhibition hall in Unity on Tuesday. The food was loaded into a van and transported to the center for serving. The Ecology Learning Center is one of the few schools in Maine where students play a significant role in growing, preparing, cooking and serving food to fellow classmates and staff. Students prepared and served the meal to about 60 students and staff members at the center.

Ecology Learning Center students Katie Leach, 17, uses flour, scrambled eggs and bread crumbs to make Italian rice balls in the kitchen at MOFGA’s exhibition hall in Unity on Tuesday. Students prepared and transported the food to the center for serving. The Ecology Learning Center is one of the few schools in Maine where students play a significant role in growing, preparing, cooking and serving food to about 60 fellow classmates and staff. Students prepared and served the meal to about 60 students and staff members at the center.

Ecology Learning Center students Jack Williamson, 17, left, and Katie Leach, 17, right, sample hot Italian rice balls while working with assistant chef AnnMarie Zabrocki, center, in the kitchen at MOFGA’s exhibition hall in Unity on Tuesday. Students prepared and transported the food to the center for serving. The Ecology Learning Center is one of the few schools in Maine where students play a significant role in growing, preparing, cooking and serving food to about 60 fellow classmates and staff. Students prepared and served the meal to about 60 students and staff members at the center.

Ecology Learning Center students, right, serve fellow students and staff lunch at the center in Unity on Tuesday. Students prepared the meal at MOFGA’s exhibition hall kitchen before transporting the food to the center for serving. The Ecology Learning Center is one of the few schools in Maine where students play a significant role in growing, preparing, cooking and serving food to about 60 fellow classmates and staff. Students prepared and served the meal to about 60 students and staff members at the center.

Ecology Learning Center student Jack Williamson, 17, center, serves lunch to students and staff at the center in Unity, Maine on Tuesday. Williamson, who is shown with assistant chef AnnMarie Zabrocki, left, joined other students in preparing the meal at MOFGA’s exhibition hall kitchen before transporting the food to the center for serving. The Ecology Learning Center is one of the few schools in Maine where students play a significant role in growing, preparing, cooking and serving food to about 60 fellow classmates and staff. Students prepared and served the meal to about 60 students and staff members at the center.

Chef Christopher McGee, center, directs Ecology Learning Center students Jack Williamson, 17, left, and Katie Leach, 17, as they prepare a meal in the kitchen of MOFGA’s exhibition hall in Unity on Tuesday. The food was loaded into a van and transported to the center for serving. The Ecology Learning Center is one of the few schools in Maine where students play a significant role in growing, preparing, cooking and serving food to fellow classmates and staff. Students prepared and served the meal to about 60 students and staff members at the center.

Ecology Learning Center student Jimmy Leach, 15, removes Italian rice balls from hot oil while preparing lunch with other students in MOFGA’s exhibition hall kitchen in Unity on Tuesday. Leach said the rice balls take five minutes to cook. The food was transported to the center for serving. The Ecology Learning Center is one of the few schools in Maine where students play a significant role in growing, preparing, cooking and serving food to fellow classmates and staff. Students prepared and served the meal to about 60 students and staff members at the center.

Ecology Learning Center student Katie Leach, 17, slices a loaf of whole wheat bread while preparing lunch with other students in MOFGA’s exhibition hall kitchen in Unity on Tuesday. The food was transported to the center for serving. The Ecology Learning Center is one of the few schools in Maine where students play a significant role in growing, preparing, cooking and serving food to fellow classmates and staff. Students prepared and served the meal to about 60 students and staff members at the center.

Chef Christopher McGee loads hot Italian rice balls into a cooling rack while directing Ecology Learning Center students as they made lunch in the kitchen MOFGA’s exhibition hall kitchen in Unity on Tuesday. The food was transported to the center for serving. The Ecology Learning Center is one of the few schools in Maine where students play a significant role in growing, preparing, cooking and serving food to fellow classmates and staff. Students prepared and served the meal to about 60 students and staff members at the center.

Chef Christopher McGee, left, and Ecology Learning Center students Jack Williamson, 17, center, and Jimmy Leach, 15, load insulated containers filled with food into a van outside MOFGA’s exhibition hall kitchen in Unity on Tuesday. The food was transported to the center for serving. The Ecology Learning Center is one of the few schools in Maine where students play a significant role in growing, preparing, cooking and serving food to fellow classmates and staff members. Students prepared and served the meal to about 60 students and staff members at the center.

Chef Christopher McGee, left, and Ecology Learning Center students Jack Williamson, 17, center, and Jimmy Leach, 15, carry insulated containers filled with food they loaded into a van outside MOFGA’s exhibition hall kitchen in Unity on Tuesday. The food was transported to the center for serving. The Ecology Learning Center is one of the few schools in Maine where students play a significant role in growing, preparing, cooking and serving food to fellow classmates and staff. Students prepared and served the meal to about 60 students and staff members at the center.