CELEBRATE COMMUNITY AND LEARNING AT THE BENNINGTON RISING PROGRAM

Join Bennington College and Mount Anthony Union (MAU) High School students to learn “What’s in your food?” at Bennington Museum on Thursday, November 20, from 5:30-7 p.m. This event is the capstone event for the Bennington Rising Program, a collaboration between Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), the Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union, and Bennington College.

Throughout the fall semester, student teams of Bennington College and MAU high school students have collaborated to research and answer the question: What chemicals are in our food, and why? Students explored the impact of certain trendy foods or supplements on the body. They also explored questions like, “Why is MSG so controversial – should it be?” And “Why is the government putting stuff (iodine, vitamin D, and more) in our food?” The student groups share their findings through creative and engaging displays in the Bennington Museum’s “What’s in your food?” exhibit, which will be the focus of the celebration.

The event will also feature a talk from University of Massachusetts Amherst Professor Emeritus, Thomas Zoeller. Professor Zoeller will guide families through highlights from his research about the effects of plastic packaging of food on human health. This talk will be followed by a Q&A session.

The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

Want more time to digest the exhibit? The exhibit will be available for viewing with admission to Bennington Museum from November 17-28, 2025.