How Foodwise Teens Made a Lasting Impact for These Young Adults
December 20, 2024
“Foodwise helped me think twice about where my food comes from. I have been going to the farmers market every Saturday to get fruits and veggies to support the farmers and support my health. I have been making better food decisions ever since my opportunity at Foodwise ended.”
Brenda, shown working at Oya Organics with Farmer Modesto Cruz
Like you, Foodwise believes that young people need opportunities to learn, grow, and be agents of change in their community. When you donate to Foodwise, you are investing in Bay Area youth, so they can become empowered food and environmental leaders.
For more than a decade, Foodwise has offered free education programs to engage San Francisco high school students in food and sustainability. Our teen programming began in 2011 with SFUSD students growing food in their school gardens to sell at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. In 2019, the program evolved into Foodwise Teens, with a focus on youth development and job training.
Through Foodwise Teens, students learn to nurture their health and wellbeing, build leadership and stewardship skills, and explore careers in their local food community. Each student gets hands-on experience in the garden, in the kitchen, and at the farmers market, all while getting paid for their work.
Foodwise Teens Alumni Report Back on the Ripple Effects of Their Experiences
This year, Foodwise launched our first longitudinal study to ask Foodwise Teens participants how their experience has influenced their job prospects and interests, engagement in the food system, and outlook as change agents in their community. We surveyed 300 Foodwise Teens alumni and heard from 77 respondents, who reflected on how the experience continues to show up in their lives today.
“I will be writing about how I led the first teen-led [cooking] demo with my friends for my college application! Because of Foodwise, I also got into cooking more and LOVE baking, which I never tried to do before joining this program.”
Rogelyn (right), shown with other Foodwise Teens leading a Foodwise Demo
Developing Healthy and Sustainable Eating Practices
For many participants, Foodwise Teens continues to shape their daily food habits and how they think about their role in the food system. Over half of the respondents reported eating fruits and vegetables daily, cooking their own meals, and reducing food waste.
“Foodwise Teens taught me how to be more sustainable in everyday activities,” wrote Songia, a program graduate who also worked for the Foodwise market operations team. “ I also learned to garden and make dishes that were very cheap and easy to make without a kitchen.”
Brenda, who is now studying communication arts in college, said, “Foodwise helped me think twice about where my food comes from. I have been going to the farmers market every Saturday to get fruits and veggies to support the farmers and support my health. I have been making better food decisions ever since my opportunity at Foodwise ended.”
High school student Rogelyn shared, “I will be writing about how I led the first teen-led [cooking] demo with my friends for my college application! Because of Foodwise, I also got into cooking more and LOVE baking, which I never tried to do before joining this program.”
“I got great friendships, an awesome experience, but most importantly, got to develop and polish skills that have helped me in the work environment.”
Lineth (second from right), shown working with the team at Green Thumb Farms
Job Readiness and Pathways to Employment
Acquiring job skills and resume-building experience was also a significant outcome for many Foodwise Teens. Over half of the respondents reported “Working as a team” and “Professional communication and accountability” among the top skills they developed, alongside a “Growing awareness of agriculture, food justice, and environmental issues.”
“Because this was my first internship in high school, I feel as if I have acquired many basic professional skills, such as effective communication, and gained experience in being on a team,” said Dominic, who is now studying Sustainable Environmental Design.
“When I was a part of Foodwise Teens, I was a freshman in high school. I was really shy and had never had a job that involved speaking with customers or working in a fast-paced environment,” Janessa shared. “After finishing the program, I grew into a leader and advocated for things I was passionate about.”
Foodwise Teens opened doors to employment, too, with a number of respondents landing jobs placement with a farmers market vendor or Foodwise after the program ended.
“I got great friendships, an awesome experience, but most importantly, got to develop and polish skills that have helped me in the work environment,” said Lineth, who has worked with Green Thumb Farms and Frog Hollow Farm.
“[I got] a better understanding of the good environment in California and a closer relationship with my local businesses (and really good food!).”
Pablo, shown working for Foodwise
Becoming Agents of Change
Beyond job readiness, Foodwise Teens helped shape participants’ career pursuits or how they might make a difference in their world. Respondents noted Environmental/Climate Change (39%), Culinary (37%), Nutrition (32%), and Food Justice (29%) among their career interests. And of the survey respondents who are currently in college, one-third reported pursuing degrees related to Agriculture, the Environment, Sustainability, or Business/Economics.
Pablo, who spent a year working on the Foodwise operations team and is now studying Agricultural Biology in college, shared that he took away “a better understanding of the good environment in California and a closer relationship with my local businesses (and really good food!).”
Regardless of their studies and career pursuits, a sense of agency in changing our food system for the better reverberated in many participants’ reflections.
“I think it helped me gain a better understanding of our current food system, whether the issues within or things we can do for a change,” college student Jason shared. “It was definitely very informative and I genuinely want to contribute as a part of this cause to contribute to food justice. Overall, it helped me reestablish the primal connection between us human beings and the environment, even the planet we are living on.”
Empower Foodwise Teens and the Next Generation of Leaders
Foodwise depends on community support to offer this free, life-changing program to SFUSD high school students. Donate today and help us reach our year-end goal of $75,000 to keep education programs like Foodwise Teens going strong in 2025 and beyond.
Topics: Foodwise Teens, Programs, Youth