Project Grant 20237002640839

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** FRESHFARM FOODPRINTS: CREATING SCHOOL-BASED HUBS FOR FOOD & AGRICULTURAL EDUCATIONTHROUGH THIS FOOD AND AGRICULTURE SERVICE LEARNING PROGRAM (FASLP), FRESHFARM WILL EXTEND THE CAPACITY AND DEPTH OF OUR SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENTIAL FOOD EDUCATION MODEL, FOODPRINTS, BY EXPANDING INNOVATIVE SERVICE LEARNING FOR COLLEGE, HIGH SCHOOL, AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS IN (A) THE DELIVERY OF OUR INTERDISCIPLINARY PREK-5TH GRADE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM IN 21 SCHOOLS ACROSS WASHINGTON, DC, (B) CONNECTIONS WITH SCHOOL CAFETERIAS TO ENCOURAGE CONSUMPTION OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IN THE SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM, (C) ENGAGEMENT WITH LOCAL FARMERS AND FIRST-HAND AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCES VIA FARM FIELD TRIPS, GUIDED FARMERS MARKET VISITS, AND SEASONAL WORK IN SCHOOL GARDENS, AND (D) SUPPORT FOR SCHOOL-BASED ACCESS POINTS FOR NUTRITIOUS AND AFFORDABLE FOOD, VIA FARM STANDS OR CSAS, FOR FAMILIES IN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED AREAS.PROJECT GOALSTHE TWO MAIN PROJECT GOALS ARE:GOAL 1: EMBED FRESHFARM FOODPRINTS EXPERIENTIAL FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL LEARNING AND ACCESS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS - PRIMARILY IN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED AREAS OF WASHINGTON, DC - TO INCREASE FAMILIARITY WITH, ACCESS TO, AND CONSUMPTION OF LOCAL, FRESH, NUTRITIOUS FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AMONG STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.GOAL 2: DEVELOP AND DELIVER RELEVANT, REAL-WORLD OPPORTUNITIES WITH PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS FOR SERVICE LEARNERS TO GAIN LEADERSHIP SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND EXPERIENCES THEY NEED TO EXPLORE AND PURSUE AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD-RELATED CAREERS.PROJECT ACTIVITIES1. EXPAND THE DEPTH AND BREADTH OF HANDS-ON FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION FOR DC PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTSWE WILL EXTEND OUR CAPACITY FOR DELIVERING OUR SUCCESSFUL FOODPRINTS PROGRAM, WITH A PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF COLLABORATING WITH SCHOOL COMMUNITIES TO ENGAGE STUDENTS IN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING ABOUT AGRICULTURE, GARDENING, NUTRITION, COOKING, AND THE ORIGIN OF THE FOOD THAT THEY EAT. THE PROGRAM BRINGS SCIENCE, MATH, AND SOCIAL STUDIES TO LIFE WITH THE GOAL OF IMPROVING HEALTH OUTCOMES OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. WE EMBED FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL EDUCATORS IN PARTNER SCHOOLS USING OUR STANDARDS-BASED CURRICULUM OF 63 INTERDISCIPLINARY LESSONS, MAKING CONNECTIONS TO THE CAFETERIA, AND INCREASING ACCESS TO SEASONAL PRODUCE VIA COOKING AND EATING IN FOODPRINTS CLASSES AND SCHOOL-BASED FARM STANDS.2. EXPAND PARTICIPATION OF UNIVERSITY SERVICE LEARNERS IN HANDS-ON FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL EDUCATIONWE WILL PLACE 65 UNIVERSITY SERVICE LEARNERS, OVER THE TWO-YEAR PERIOD, TO WORK WEEKLY AS PART OF THE FOODPRINTS TEACHING TEAM TO DELIVER EXPERIENTIAL FOOD/AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN FOODPRINTS' DCPS PARTNER SCHOOLS, WITH TRAINING AND SUPPORT FROM FRESHFARM. SERVICE LEARNERS EXPAND STAFF CAPACITY, ALLOWING FOR MORE TIME FOR STUDENTS TO BE IMMERSED IN HANDS-ON LEARNING IN THE GARDEN AND KITCHEN. ADDITIONALLY, UNIVERSITY SERVICE LEARNERS WILL GAIN HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE IN AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES AND CONNECTIONS WITH AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS VIA,GUIDED LEARNING OF AGRICULTURAL SKILLS IN SCHOOL GARDENS AND LOCAL FARMS, AND STRUCTURED MONTHLY, HANDS-ON SESSIONS ON GARDENING, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, AND FOOD SYSTEMS, INCLUDING A FARMERS MARKET AND/OR FARM FIELD TRIP.3. INCORPORATE HIGH SCHOOL SERVICE LEARNERSTWENTY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WILL SERVE AS ASSISTANTS IN THE FOODPRINTS PROGRAM FOR A SEMESTER OR SUMMER DURING THE TWO-YEAR GRANT PERIOD (8 IN YEAR ONE AND 12 IN YEAR TWO) WHO WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THE SAME AGRICULTURAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AND FIELD TRIPS AS UNIVERSITY STUDENTS.4. BUILD OUT MIDDLE SCHOOL SERVICE LEARNINGTHIRTY-FIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL SERVICE LEARNERS WILL BE ENGAGED IN CROSS-AGE LEARNING AS FOODPRINTS CLASS ASSISTANTS FOR THE PREK-8 DC PUBLIC MIDDLE SCHOOL, FRANCIS STEVENS, CONNECTING PAST FOODPRINTS EXPERIENCES WITH NEW PEER-LEADER ROLES. IN YEAR 2 OF THE PROJECT, WE WILL INVITE MIDDLE SCHOOL SERVICE LEARNERS TO PARTICIPATE IN AN AFTER SCHOOL TRAINING PROGRAM TO BECOME JUNIOR MASTER GARDENERS5. PROVIDE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES IN AGRICULTURAL PRACTICESTO INCREASE ENGAGEMENT WITH MID-ATLANTIC FARMERS, THE PROJECT WILL INCLUDE LOCAL FARM FIELD TRIPS AND GUIDED TOURS AT FRESHFARM FARMERS MARKETS FOR SERVICE LEARNERS. TO INCREASE GARDENING/FARMING SKILLS, SERVICE LEARNERS WILL HAVE PLENTY OF SUPPORTED TIME WORKING IN FOODPRINTS' SCHOOL GARDENS.6. INTEGRATE FOOD EDUCATION WITH SCHOOL LUNCH ROOMS AND OUT IN THE COMMUNITYSERVICE LEARNERS WILL BE TRAINED TO RUN TASTE TESTS OF SEASONAL, HEALTHY PRODUCE IN SCHOOL LUNCHROOMS. SERVICE LEARNERS WILL ALSO BE TRAINED TO SUPPORT FOODPRINTS' SCHOOL-BASED ACCESS POINTS FOR NUTRITIOUS AND AFFORDABLE FOOD, VIA FARM STANDS OR CSAS, FOR FAMILIES IN FOODPRINTS SCHOOLS LOCATED IN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED AREAS.ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES & AUDIENCES IMPACTEDELEMENTARY STUDENTS WILL DEMONSTRATE INCREASED FOOD LITERACY THROUGH THE FOLLOWING DOMAINS: A) INCREASED FOOD AND AGRICULTURE KNOWLEDGE, B) INCREASED FOOD SKILLS SUCH AS COOKING TECHNIQUES, GARDENING PRACTICES, C) INCREASED SELF-EFFICACY FOR NAVIGATING THEIR FOOD ENVIRONMENT, AND D) INCREASED FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CONSUMPTION, THROUGH FRESHFARM'S FOODPRINTS EMBEDDED AT THEIR SCHOOL IN THE KITCHEN CLASSROOMS, GARDEN, AND CAFETERIA. AUDIENCES IMPACTED: 7700 STUDENTS ACROSS 23 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN WASHINGTON DC'S WARDS 4, 5, 6, 7, 8UNIVERSITY, HIGH SCHOOL, AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS WILL EXPAND THE CAPACITY TO DELIVER THE FOODPRINTS CURRICULUM, EXTEND FOODPRINTS CONNECTIONS TO THE CAFETERIA, AND IMPLEMENT SCHOOL-BASED PRODUCE MARKETS, AND WILL THEMSELVES DEMONSTRATE INCREASED FOOD LITERACY OVER THE TIME PERIOD OF THEIR SERVICE LEARNING INVOLVEMENT WITH THE FOODPRINTS PROGRAM. AUDIENCES IMPACTED: 65 STUDENTS ACROSS SIX UNIVERSITIES IN DC AND VIRGINIA, AND FOUR DC SECONDARY SCHOOLSSERVICE LEARNERS WILL INDICATE INCREASED INTEREST IN AND PREPAREDNESS FOR AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD-RELATED CAREERS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, GOVERNMENT, AND ACADEMIA THROUGH THEIR WORK WITH THE FRESHFARM FOODPRINTS PRO,GRAM. AUDIENCES IMPACTED: 65 SERVICE LEARNERS ACROSS SIX UNIVERSITIES IN DC AND VIRGINIA, AND FOUR HIGH SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN DC.A FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SERVICE LEARNING CURRICULUM FOR UNIVERSITY AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WILL BE DEVELOPED USING BEST PRACTICES DEVELOPED AT FRESHFARM OVER SEVEN YEARS AND INFORMED BY FEEDBACK FROM MORE THAN 70 SERVICE LEARNERS OVER THAT TIME. THIS WILL BE MADE ACCESSIBLE ONLINE FOR FREE TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEADERSHIP SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND QUALITIES NECESSARY TO PREPARE UNIVERSITY AND HIGH SCHOOL-LEVEL SERVICE LEARNERS FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL AND RELATED CAREERS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, GOVERNMENT, AND ACADEMIA. AUDIENCES IMPACTED: 65 SERVICE LEARNERS ACROSS SIX UNIVERSITIES IN DC AND VIRGINIA, AND FOUR DC HIGH SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS.EVALUATIONWITH AN EVALUATION PARTNER TO BE DETERMINED, FRESHFARM WILL RUN TWO TYPES OF EVALUATION:OUTCOME EVALUATION THAT WILL MEASURE THE GROWTH OF BOTH FOODPRINTS STUDENTS' AND SERVICE LEARNERS AGRICULTURE, FOOD, AND NUTRITION KNOWLEDGE AND THEIR FOOD SKILLS VIA FOOD LITERACY ASSESSMENT TOOLS.PROCESS EVALUATION THAT WILL ASSESS PROGRAMMING DOSE, FIDELITY, RECEPTIVITY, ENGAGEMENT, AND PROGRAM SATISFACTION FOR FOODPRINTS' STUDENTS AND SERVICE LEARNERS. FOR SCHOOL-BASED FARM STANDS OR CSAS, WE WILL TRACK THE VALUE OF PRODUCE SOLD AT EACH MARKET AND THE PROPORTION PURCHASED WITH FEDERAL NUTRITION PROGRAM BENEFITS. CONNECTING TO THE CAFETERIA, WE WILL TRACK THE NUMBER OF TASTE TESTS HELD AND THE PROPORTION OF STUDENTS THAT LOVED OR LIKED EACH FOOD ITEM. FOR INTEGRATION OF FOODPRINTS INTO THE SCHOOL LUNCH MENU, WE WILL TRACK THE FREQUENCY AND VARIETY OF RECIPES THAT APPEAR ON THE MENU AT EACH SCHOOL. WE WILL ALSO TRACK OUR PROGRESS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SERVICE LEARNING CURRICULUM.