Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience:Our target audience reached during this reporting period was Service Learners. Service learners include: University students engaged with the FRESHFARM FoodPrints program as classroom assistants consistently across a semester or school year. University students participating in tours of FRESHFARM farmers markets. University students participating in tours and service work days on farms close to Washington, DC. High school students engaged with FoodPrints classes. Middle school students engaged with a gardening club and in helping elementary school FoodPrints classes. Changes/Problems:We are not expecting any major changes in the next reporting period. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project has developed an array of professional development opportunities to involve service learners in experiencing a local food system and serving their community in strengthening that food system, including: Two-hour orientation with hands-on practical training Support with the DCPS Clearance Process Local farm workday in fall and spring Fall farmers market market tour Access to ongoing open garden hours One-on-One- phone call check-ins each semester Opportunities to receive feedback from Lead Teachers on areas of growth and success Ongoing mentoring from Service Learning Manager and Lead Teacher in the areas of food and garden education, classroom management, cooking skills, gardening skills, teaching skills. Ongoing opportunities to support garden maintenance tasks at partner school gardens. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?So far, the stories and results of this project have been promising and insightful and we have been excited to share them with communities of interest. We created a one-pager document and utilized it tosharethe results of the service learners' exit surveys with the administrators at local universities and high schools that are part of our recruitment process. We have shared the positive stories and outcomes that our service learners provided in their surveys with these particular administrators because we value their efforts to share the about our service learning opportunities on their campuses and we want them to hear that their recruitment efforts lead to positiveexperiences for their students that even shape their career and coursework interests. We also have disseminated stories and results from this project via FRESHFARM's "Fresh Take" blog about the impact of our cafeteria taste tests on reintegrating FoodPrints recipes into the school lunch menu. The FRESHFARM audience that engages with our blog includes a range of stakeholders from DC locals, DCPS administrators, DC government and city leaders, parents and caretakers of our students, and funders. We have been proud to share the project's effectiveness in enhancing food education and access. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period, we plan to accomplish our goals by recruiting and training at least 35 service learners, placing them across 13 schools. To support their development, ongoing feedback and mentoring will be provided, offering valuable guidance to help service learners grow in their roles. A key focus will be refining the system for the intake and placement of a large number of service learners, ensuring a smooth and efficient process. To deepen service learners' understanding of the local food system, the program will continue to offer guided tours of farmers markets and experiences on local farms twice a year. Service learners will be trained to continue to conduct taste tests in school cafeterias to support the introduction of one new produce-based recipe to the school lunch menu each month, promoting healthy eating habits in our partner schools. Additionally, we will continue to build out the Junior Master Gardener program and document the program's activities at John Francis Education Campus, providing more formalized hands-on gardening opportunities for middle school students.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Under the aforementioned goals, our project immediately helps two main audiences: Elementary school students primarily in food-insecure areas of Washington, DC University students with academic and/or professional interests/pathways related to agricultural and/or nutrition education AccomlishmentsGoal 1: FRESHFARM FoodPrints experiential food and agricultural learning and food access were embedded in elementary schools. Major Activities: A. Embedded the FoodPrints food education model in 21 DC public schools, serving primarily low-income and food insecure areas of Washington, DC, B. 15 service learners were instrumental in delivering 10 taste tests of six produce-based recipes (ie, Apple Beet Carrot (ABC) Salad,Tuscan Kale Salad, Cauliflower Curry) with more than 2,000 samples distributed at four schools. C. Service learners supported the capacity of FRESHFARM to run two school-based farm stands in diverse neighborhoods. Five service learners were regularly involved in sales and outreach at the Whittier Elementary farm stand. These service learners helped customers become more familiar with the produce sold at the farm stands through conversations and taste tests, and also navigate how to use their food benefits to purchase local produce. Data collected: Amount and nature of food education programming; produce procured, prepared, and eaten; PreK-5th grade student receptivity to the food education. Summary of Data and Conclusions FRESHFARM delivered a significant amount of food and agricultural education, with increased access to fresh food: 7,600 elementary students participated in a total of 3,560 hours of programming in the 2023-24 school year. 16,000 lbs of produce at wholesale prices from Mid-Atlantic farmers were used for learning, cooking, and eating in FoodPrints classes. Elementary students reported high satisfaction with elements of the program. In end-of-the year reflection conversations with 222 students in May/June 2024: 89.66% of participants 'loved' cooking 76.6% 'loved' eating 82% 'loved' the overall experience Students said: "The food is amazing and the best food you get to eat all day at school." and "You will try new things you have not tried before, you'll really like it especially when you start eating it, there's a lot of vegetables and you eat what you cook." AccomlishmentsGoal 2: Real-world opportunities with practical applications were developed and delivered for Service Learners Major Activities: A. Our Service Learning Manager developed and managed an intensive system for intake and interviewing of over 50 applicants. This system, from intake to placement, has been built to involve additional staff members as the program grows and requires more management. B. 31 service learners were placed in 11 schools as regular classroom assistants with careful consideration of their learning interests and growth areas and transportation access, along with our program needs. They supported lessons from the FoodPrints Curriculum, assisted students in caring for school gardens, and led small groups of students in kitchen classrooms by helping them prepare produce-based recipes. Service learners had opportunities for hands-on garden and farming training by supporting schools with garden maintenance and growing tasks. C. Our Service Learning Manager designed and conducted a two-hour orientation for all Service Learners that covered logistics and expectations; basics of the FoodPrints food education approach; practice cooking produce-based recipes and gardening. D. Mentoring was provided via real-time feedback. Teachers at each placement provided on-site feedback during and after classes, and the Service Learning Manager conducted 20-min. one-on-one check-ins with each service learner midway through the semester. E. Exposure to agricultural skills and experiences in the broader food system was incorporated, with workdays at a local farm, tours of FRESHFARM farmers markets, and open garden hours. F. A guide to document the expansive and food-systems-oriented approach to training and supporting future food educators is started and will be built out in year 2 of this project with a focus on increasing interest in and preparing participants for careers in food and garden education. Data collected from Service Learners Amount and types of service learning completed; participants' direct takeaways experiences in FoodPrints classrooms in exit surveys; food literacy competencies Summary of Data and Conclusions 1. Significant amount of service was provided by a range of participants. University service learners provided 1865 hours of service High school service learners provided 300 hours of service The majority worked for a single semester; 20% worked for the entire school year 80% of service learners worked 20 or more hours in a semester 2. Service Learners reported positive outcomes of their experiences with FRESHFARM. Our evaluation partners at George Washington University aggregated the data from exit surveys completed by 20 of the 39 university-level participants and found positive outcomes in three areas: a) Receptivity: 80% of respondents gave their service learning experience the highest possible rating. Every respondent reported that they would recommend the experience to a friend; and every respondent felt like a member of the FoodPrints team. b) Skills/knowledge: Areas reported with most gains were teaching and classroom management, knowledge of food origins and food systems, and adaptability and patience when working with young students. c) Influence on future coursework/career: 93.3% reported an increase in interest in at least two agricultural and/or nutrition/food-related career areas as a result of their experience with FoodPrints. Agricultural Education saw the highest increase in interest, with 86.7% of service learners expressing more interest in this field after their service learning experience. 3. Food literacy competencies and fruit/vegetable intake were both high at baseline and follow up, which will be explored further in year 2. OUTCOMES Service learners expand the capacity of FRESHFARM to embed FoodPrints hands-on, joyful food and garden education tied to academic standards in Washington, DC, public schools with the goal of creating familiarity with, excitement for, interest in, and increased consumption of local, fresh, nutritious fruits and vegetables. Service learners gained meaningful experience in the classroom and with the local food system - which positively influenced their future coursework and career interests toward agricultural education. Produce-based FoodPrints recipes were reintroduced into the school lunch menu after our Service Learners expanded our capacity and systems to provide lunchtime taste tests at FoodPrints partner school cafeterias in which Sodexo is the meals vendor. Based on the results of students' votes and excitement for FoodPrints recipes, Sodexo decided to incorporate Tuscan Kale Salad and French Carrot Salad into the school lunch menu during the last half of the 2023-24 school year. Service learners supported two school-based farm stands helping to increase food access for families and food security for students in the Whittier and Simon elementary communities. Across the two farm stands during this reporting period, more than 1,000 customers shopped - sales ranging from 25% to 50% with food benefits and incentives - and farmers supplying produce realized $10,456 in sales. Whittier Principal Tiffany Johnson said this partnership is "vital to the success of her students because the program makes sure students feel secure via food."

Publications