Real Food For Thought

Youth Crew 2015 – Day 1!

This year’s Youth Crew started off on the right foot! Our crew of eleven students from REACH, City Neighbors, City College and Frederick Douglass high school showed up to the farm on a delightfully sunny Wednesday afternoon, eager to get to work.

First order of business was to get to know each other. Students and educators got a bit of a workout, running around the field, playing “Name Toss” and “Concentric Circles.” During Concentric Circles, we paired off and answered questions about ourselves – “What’s one of your hobbies?” “What’s something you like about your school?” “What’s a meal you would cook for your family that you know they would like?”

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After the intro games, the crew took a seat under the blue shade sails at our pavilion seating area where farm educators Molly and Waqia gave them an overview of what to anticipate over the course of the next year. Students reviewed Youth Crew core values, expectations and guidelines, as well the more logistical stuff like, the program calendar and stipend pay.

Getting important business out of the way, Molly and Waqia  handed out a survey to students to gauge their knowledge of certain tasks like cooking and farming, as well as their leadership abilities. We’ll use these to compare with surveys at the end of the program to note any changes in each youth.IMG_20151007_170424929

After completing the surveys, the crew were then given a peer-to-peer interview sheet which allowed them to discuss with one another some of the reasons they chose to join Youth Crew, what they expected to get out of the program, as well as one way they thought someone their age might be able to effect change.IMG_20151007_172802949

Completing the interviews and reporting some of their discoveries back to the group, students once again assembled as a group and collaborated on poster asking “What Do You Bring To The Table?” They listed a variety of personal strengths and abilities, jotting down such words as leadership, creativity, loyalty, honesty, power and responsibility. What a talented crew we have this year!

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Wrapping up the day, students shouted-out some highlights and appreciations before packing up and heading out to their various home destinations. We’ll see you all on Saturday!

 

About Real Food Farm

Real Food Farm works toward a just and sustainable food system by improving neighborhood access to healthy food, providing experience-based education, and developing an economically viable, environmentally responsible local agriculture sector.

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