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

Outputs
Target Audience:Students at Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) is Wisconsin's second-largest school district with more than 27,000 students and has been engaged in Farm to School activities for at least 15 years. More than 50% of students in MMSD qualify for free/reduced school lunch. Combined with the eight food deserts (LI/LA at 1 and 10 miles) and a student population consisting of more than half people of color, the continued growth of programs with community partners is crucial to bringing food systems change that embraces racial and social equity to Madison. Three key schools partnering on the grant include Capital High, East High, and Shabazz Malcolm City High. Malcolm Shabazz City High School, F/R Lunch 52%, White 61%, Black 15%, Hispanic 7%, Asian 2% East High School, F/R Lunch 61%, White 36%, Black 22%, Hispanic, 24%, Asian 8% Capital High School, F/R Lunch 85%, White 13%, Black 45%, Hispanic 30%, Asian 1% Changes/Problems:A budget readjustment was submitted to Jenifer Denison and Elizabeth Kerling on May 21, 2024, with the readjustment be noted and approved by Jenifer Denison via email on May 29, 2024. As we made progress with the grant this past year, we determined our original budget did not meet the needs of the project and schools involved, with specific requests made found in this NIFA Budget Readjustment PDF. Otherwise, no major changes and/or problems to note on the project at this time. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Student and educator evaluation results were shared with the second Food Justice Task Force meeting in June of 2024, with results below. It is the intent to continue with student and teacher evaluation of speakers and field trips, and include overall results with recommendations from the Food Justice Task Force in a report. This report will be provided to the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD), including the school board and MMSD educators, students, and families via the MMSD Household Newsletter (digital) and PeachJar. The report will also be made available to other schools and districts interested in the growing food justice education within their communities via the REAP Food Group website. Evaluation - Students Form provided to students following classroom speakers. Electronic and paper forms were available to students. Increased understanding of topics related to food justice: After hearing from this speaker, I better understand this topic (41 responses): 63.4% Agree, 31.7% Strongly Agree, and 4.9% Neither Agree nor Disagree Increased interest in learning about topics related to food justice: after hearing from this speaker, I am more interested in learning about this topic (41 responses): 58.5% Agree, 26.8% Strongly Agree, 12.2% Neither Agree nor Disagree, 2.5% Disagree Increased interest in involvement in topics related to food justice: After hearing from this speaker, I am more interested in being involved with efforts related to this topic (41 responses): 58.5%: Agree, 19.5% Neither Agree nor Disagree, 17.1% Strongly Agree, 4.9% Disagree Evaluation Data - Teachers (Optional Data Collection) Form completed by 4 teachers after 4 different activities with responses collected at 4 different activities in April and May 2024, with all 3 schools represented. Teachers rated students' understanding of the activity highly All teachers felt that students seemed to understand most or a lot of what the speaker shared "Students were engaged and interested in the presentation." "Students asked good questions and responded to questions he asked." Teachers rated students' engagement in the activity highly All teachers responded that students seemed engaged. "Some students were LOCKED IN! Lots of eye contact and body language to show engagement." Most teachers felt the activities were advancing the goal of supporting students in their understanding and future involvement in food justice 3 responded "Yes"; 1 responded "Unsure" "It's impactful to hear other's stories of how they are working to continue to use authentic practices and why." "Our students deeply value real people and I think this was a great visit." What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Guest Speakers and Field Trips: We will continue to provide guest speaker and field trip opportunities, with a goal to provide four opportunities per semester for each of the three MMSD partner schools. These experiences will focus on food justice and related topics, with selection of speakers based on student and educator feedback to ensure diverse perspectives and expertise. Internship Evaluation and Adjustment: After the conclusion of the pilot internship, we will conduct a thorough evaluation, incorporating feedback from students, educators, and partners. Based on these insights, we will make adjustments to enhance the program for 2025, with the aim of expanding participation and reach. Volunteer and Job/Paid Opportunities: We will compile and share additional volunteer and job opportunities throughout the school year and summer 2025. These opportunities will be communicated to students via school newsletters, social media, and direct outreach to educators. Food Justice Task Force: The Task Force will convene four more times to develop tangible recommendations for integrating food justice concepts into curricula at MMSD. These recommendations will be included in a report available to MMSD stakeholders as well as other school districts and communities. We will also explore sustainable funding and partnership opportunities to support activities developed through the grant beyond the grant period. Evaluation and Feedback: Throughout the year, we will gather feedback from students, educators, and speakers to assess the effectiveness of our programs. This feedback will be used to make ongoing improvements and will summarized in the report compiled by the Food Justice Task Force. Communication and Reporting: We will regularly update stakeholders, including MMSD educators, students, families, and community partners, on our progress. Final recommendations and outcomes will be shared in a comprehensive report to MMSD and made available to other interested school districts and communities via the REAP Food Group website. Community Food Justice Symposium: To conclude the grant, we will organize a community food justice symposium in late 2025. This event will be shaped by student input and will serve as a platform to showcase the work accomplished through the grant, share best practices, and inspire further action.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Speakers and Field Trips for Three MMSD Schools Through monthly meetings with educators (Brian Counselman of Shabazz, Emily Sonneman of East, and Kelli Semrau of Capital), we scheduled two guest speaker events per school. East High: Angel Flores and Leticia Torres (Tortillas Los Angeles): Students explored the history of corn production in Mexico, nixtamalization, and the journey of producing organic corn tortillas. Mel and Sei Kidau: A food demonstration featuring dishes from Jamaica and Liberia, paired with insights into their nonprofit, Youth Empowerment Initiatives (YEI). Capital High: Rosalba Montoya and Aída Inuca (Roots4Change): Students, especially those in the parenting class, learned about the roles of doulas and the importance of food in family care. Will Green (Mentoring Positives): Students sampled food prepared by peers while learning about Will's journey in founding Mentoring Positives. Shabazz: Josey Chu (Madame Chu): Students cooked with Josey Chu and learned about her path to becoming a food entrepreneur. Thony Clarke (Mango Man Cooks): Rescheduled to fall 2024 due to a school closure. Plans are underway to schedule 4-6 speaker and/or field trip experiences per school for fall 2024. Food Justice Task Force Two of the six planned Food Justice Task Force meetings occurred between August 2023 and August 2024. Five selected members with diverse expertise reviewed current and future grant work and provided feedback on evaluation methods. Key Focus Areas: Integrating food justice into high school curricula. Offering recommendations to MMSD on incorporating food justice concepts. Refining grant evaluations and project improvements. Participants: Leticia Torres (Tortillas Los Angeles, MMSD parent), Natasha Sullivan (Madison Teachers, Inc., MMSD parent), Alex Booker (Rooted and Booker Botanical), Sarah Karlson (Rooted), and Matilde Cachiguango (Roots4Change, MMSD alum parent). Meeting Highlights: April 22, 2024: Virtual introductions, grant overview, and initial feedback. June 10, 2024: In-person review of first-year grant activities, evaluation results, and planning for year two. Key Discussions and Outcomes: Clarification on Task Force roles and expectations from NIFA partners. Sustainability planning for the grant work beyond its lifespan. Importance of building new partnerships and supporting emerging BIPOC farmers. Connecting with MMSD Community Partnerships and Jonas Zuckerman for sustainable funding options. Evaluation Data - Students Understanding Food Justice: 63.4% agreed, 31.7% strongly agreed. Interest in Learning: 58.5% agreed, 26.8% strongly agreed. Interest in Involvement: 58.5% agreed, 17.1% strongly agreed. Evaluation Data - Teachers Teachers noted high student engagement and understanding across activities, with most feeling the sessions effectively supported students' understanding of food justice. Internship A list of eight Local Food System Summer 2024 volunteer and job opportunities was shared with MMSD partner schools. The pilot 'Roots and Recipes' Internship, involving two Shabazz High students, immerses participants in local food agriculture and culinary entrepreneurship, culminating in a local food sampling event in October 2024.

Publications