Pilot Light

We think it's great that a lot of you are resolving to use social media less in 2025 -- but we want to stay in touch with you! It's important to us to keep our community informed about the incredible impact their support makes in Pilot Light classrooms nationwide. Our bimonthly newsletter keeps you connected to all the latest news, resources, and opportunities to get involved in Pilot Light's mission to bring comprehensive Food Education to students nationwide. Sign up today at: https://lnkd.in/gJj9P7BK Thank you for believing in the power of Food Education! #foodeducation #pilotlightchefs #socialmedia #newsletters #stayintouch #nonprofitsupporters #nonprofits

Have you entered our WANNA GETAWAY raffle yet? Don't miss your chance to win this incredible vacation -- open now through March 21st! https://lnkd.in/g5J7FmjF

-Amy Stamm/High School Special Education Teacher & Pilot Light Fellowship Alum/Northampton, MA ?? This March, we're highlighting stories from the incredible Special Education teachers in our community for National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. Food Education has incredible power to let students of all abilities shine and thrive at school and in their communities. "[Pilot Light Food Education Standard 1: Food connects us to each other] deepens people’s cultural knowledge with its focus on food traditions, the geopolitical influences and interactions enabled by foodways, and historical forms of imagination expressed through food. Whenever we shared food, students asked interesting questions: “Where does jambalaya come from?”; “How did you learn how to make that?”; “I’ve never had a pine nut! They’re good! Where do they grow?” “You can make tea out of flowers?!” Students offered their knowledge to teachers: “I’ll tell you how to make my banana pudding”; “I made gluten-free cookies, so [my classmate] could have dessert,” which connected them more deeply to each other and strengthened our school’s sense of community." How has Food Education changed the way your classroom connects? #teachingmethods #foodeducation #nationaldevelopmentaldisabilitiesawarenessmonth #specialeducationteachers

?? Today's Fellow Friday Spotlight is on: Ms. Torres! ?? Ms. Torres has been teaching elementary school children for 26 years with the NYC Department of Education. She joined the Fellowship after completing Pilot Light's Classroom to Cafeteria program last year. ?? Why Join the Fellowship? "I feel my work around Food Education must continue impacting the lives of my third graders and the community I serve as a teacher. I am excited to belong to a community of fellow educators that believe in food justice for all." ?? Food Education Love "My favorite memory from the past year was teaching students about food choices and empowering them to use their voice and responsibility to persuade others to eat healthily. We were covering standard #6: “We can make informed food choices.” The students researched healthy snack options, and my co-teacher and I made a list of the snacks they wanted to try. We purchased all the different snacks and set up a table. I even cooked my grandma's rice pudding recipe, which was my comfort snack when I was a child. We had a guest visiting our classroom that day. It was such an impressive experience to see the kids tasting different foods for the first time. It was especially memorable to watch them initially dislike a choice, come back to give it another try, and then change their minds." Thank you for bringing your expertise to Pilot Light, Ms. Torres! ?? #teacherspotlight #fellowfriday #teacherstories #foodeducation #pilotlightchefs

Our partners at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation are currently #hiring a FAN Partnership Manager! Check out this opportunity to join an organization dedicated to inspiring youth and families through urban agriculture, food system resiliency, and career readiness: https://lnkd.in/ghiZSxjG

Did you know that March is National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month? That's why, all month long, we'll be highlighting stories from our incredible special education teachers who use food as a teaching tool in their classrooms all year round. Food is a fantastic way for students both with and without disabilities to connect and delve deeper into their academic content. Our first story comes from Mrs. Brittani Dixon, an elementary school special education teacher in Chicago. Students in Mrs. Dixon's elementary school special education class learned about Costa Rica in their social studies unit. They discussed culture, traditions, and popular foods, including Gallo Pinto, a popular beans and rice dish. This lesson also began the class's exploration of foods sources and origins: as they made Gallo Pinto, they researched where each ingredient came from. "This started of journey of learning that our food doesn't just appear in our refrigerator and it also doesn't begin at the store." Finally, students were sent home with the recipe so that anyone who wanted to try the dish with their families could do so! How are you celebrating Developmental Disability Awareness Month in your classroom? #developmentaldisabilitiesawarenessmonth #classroomstories #SpEdteachersrock #spedteachers #spedteachertip #spedteachersoinstagram

All students should be able to connect over a meal at the cafeteria table, without the stigma of receiving a different meal or without worrying if they have enough funds to pay for their meal. Schools and school food/nutrition staff should be able to focus on meal quality, Food Education, and engagement, without cutting through additional red tape while burdened with administrative tasks. Take action with this resource from the National Farm to School Network: https://lnkd.in/dGwwKcg6 Find a state by state breakdown of schools affected by this change through Food Research & Action Center: https://lnkd.in/emxvP3td

?? Today's Fellow Friday Spotlight is on: Britt Usiak, Ed. M.! ?? Britt has spent over a decade as an educator and is passionate about creating interdisciplinary, student-led, and project-based learning experiences in various educational contexts. She is currently the STEM Teacher at Lynnhaven School - Richmond, Virginia’s only project-based high school - where she teaches geometry, ecology, and naturalist classes and serves as the rock climbing coach. ?? Her work is rooted in the belief that learning should foster awe and wonder; strengthen connections to ourselves, the land, and each other; and support students in becoming engaged citizens in their communities. ?? Favorite Food Education Standard: #3, Food and the environment are interconnected. “I am deeply passionate about the connections between food, environmental, and social justice issues, and the way the environment can quickly become a place of community and connection through food. Food’s fundamentality helps students connect with the land around them and the more than human world, vital practices, especially in our challenging societal times." ?? Food Education Love "Food education consistently engages students and helps them see deeper, tangible implications for a topic they are already interested in, while also strengthening their connections to their identities and communities." Thanks for being a part of this year's Fellowship, Britt! ??

Chicagoland teachers, check this out! The Folded Map Project, designed by Tonika Johnson, now has it's own curriculum and teacher/student learning materials to integrate learning about Chicago neighborhood history and present-day dynamics into your classroom! https://lnkd.in/gCe_bF-c At Pilot Light, we've seen teachers use food to explore the differences and similarities between Chicago neighborhoods, and how food is linked to Chicagoans' identities. The Folded Map curriculum also includes discussion about food's importance to our lived experiences, and how food choices and access are still impacted by segregation today. Check out the curriculum and let us know how you'd bring more food topics into your class discussion in the comments! PHOTO: Students in Mr. Albrecht's middle school classroom learn about the history of the Chicago hot dog and build their toppings, connecting to Pilot Light Food Education Standards #2 "Foods have sources and origins" and #3 "Food and the environment are interconnected." #foodeducation #foldedmapcurriculum #chicago #chicagostudents #chicagoteachers #chicagoidentity

Big news! We've extended the deadline to join our spring #SnackTimeExplorers teaching cohort, so you still have time to bring these fun, hands-on Food Education experiences to your students this school year! Learn more and apply now through February 24th: https://lnkd.in/gyMvcG8J