Pilot Light

The first Food Education in Action Week was a success! We loved hearing from our teachers and partners across the country about the different ways they celebrated and shared their Food Education work with their community. One 2nd grade classroom, led by Pilot Light Fellow Jennifer Bailey, even gleaned 378 pounds of potatoes in just one hour for their local food pantry. Students loved this activity - one even said "this is better than recess!" You can't get a better 2nd grade endorsement than that! Find the full recap on our Feeding Minds blog: https://lnkd.in/e6rDBnku #pilotlightchefs #teacherspotlight #foodeducation #foodeducationinaction

"Together, we're not just growing fresh food: we're growing changemakers." -2024 Feed Your Mind Gala Young Changemaker Honoree Kai Fogelson We were absolutely honored to recognize Kai and his work through The Hydroponic Venture Project at this year's Gala! Kai and his student-led nonprofit team have helped bring sustainable grow towers to 15 Chicago Public Schools classrooms, 6 of which are also Pilot Light classrooms. Their work has helped make hands-on Food Education lessons accessible and sustainable for hundreds of students, and we are poised to reach even more classrooms together in the coming year. Thank you, Kai, for being a true Changemaker! #pilotlightchefs #feedyourmindgala #nonprofithonoree #agentsofchange

Don't forget - there's still time to join our winter SnackTime Explorers cohort!

Thank you again to our 2024 Feed Your Mind Gala Honoree Ann Weiser for your supreme dedication and contributions to our mission! Not only have Ann and her husband Michael Johnson been longtime supporters of our organization, they have also become dear friends and advisors as we continue to grow our nationwide presence. Ann said it best at this year's gala, upon receiving her recognition from her colleague and friend Eric Nordness: "Each of us sitting in this room can become an Agent of Change. We ALL bring unique gifts to this mission and this organization...Mine is the gift of connection: networking, making introductions, and opening doors. Together with the Pilot Light team, we are venturing into the world of corporate partnerships. By leveraging relationships I've developed for four decades, we are tapping into organizations that share our mission. With their help, we can broaden our reach, build our brand, and bring our expertise to more educators and students across the country." ?? We are honored to continue this work alongside you, Ann! #pilotlightchefs #feedyourmindgala #nonprofithonoree #agentsofchange

Remember: there’s still time to join our SnackTime Explorers program with DNO Produce this winter! Applications are due December 6. Come be a part of the FFVP program that 100% of teachers agree helped build classroom community and connection! Learn more and apply at: www.snacktimeexplorers.org While we welcome interest from elementary school teachers everywhere, those in Camden City School District, MSD of Wayne Township, Wayne-Westland Community Schools, Summit Academy Schools, and Pittsburgh Public Schools are strongly encouraged to apply! #snacktimeexplorers #ffvp #teachingopportunity #professionaldevelopment #foodeducation #teacherpd

?? Thanks so much to the amazing team from The Chefs' Warehouse for supporting this year’s Feed Your Mind Gala! Your generous donations of proteins -- including this INSANELY GOOD charcuterie board -- helped our team of Guest Chefs create a meal we'll never forget! We are so grateful for your generous support.?? #pilotlightchefs #feedyourmind2024 #feedyourmind #thankyou #sponsorshoutout #chicagofoodevents #chicagononprofits #nonprofitsupport #galasponsor #chefswarehouse

Thank you again to our incredible sponsors at High Road Wine & Spirits for their support of this year's Feed Your Mind Gala! The wine and spirits were flowing and the energy was high at this year's event thanks to their generosity and commitment to our mission. We are so so grateful to have them in our community and hope you all had a wonderful time at this year's event! ? ??: Shabari Bailey #sponsorspotlight #highroadwineandspirits #thankyou #pilotlightchefs #chicagoevents #fundraisers #fundraisersponsor #gratitude

Looking for ways to build classroom connection and boost student learning this winter? Apply to join the next cohort of SnackTime Explorers teachers! Come be a part of the program that 100% of teachers agree helped build classroom community and connection! ?? "[My students] became SO EXCITED for each lesson. Their confidence grew when we spoke about the climates needed, the way that items grow, their words describing the items - it was one of the best experiences I have had.” —2023-24 SnackTime Explorers Educator ??? Deadline to apply is Dec. 6, 2024. Learn more and apply at: www.snacktimeexplorers.org ?? While we welcome interest from elementary school teachers everywhere, those in Camden City School District, MSD of Wayne Township, Wayne-Westland Community Schools, Summit Academy Schools, and Pittsburgh Public Schools are strongly encouraged to apply! DNO Produce #snacktimeexplorers #teachingopportunity #professionaldevelopment #foodeducation

We're very excited to be joining the 2024 National Science Teaching Association's National Conference on Science Education this week! Our Food Education Fellowship Director Caitlin Arens will be there sharing about the innovative work Pilot Light teachers have been doing to combine Science & Food Education in everyday classroom learning. We hope to see you there! Find registration info here: https://lnkd.in/g2Kj8E7y #foodeducation #scienceeducation #pilotlightchefs #nsta #teachingconferences

Did you know that November is National Bread Month? We love all things bread, especially this recent lesson from Food Education Fellow Gabriella Berritto, M.Ed, a middle school science teacher in Chicago, IL. Gabby's students learned about cellular respiration by making bread together as a class! The next day, students ate their loaves of bread and observed how the yeast reacted differently in each group's loaf. We can't imagine a more delicious and fun hands-on science lesson! Looking to recreate Gabby's lesson in your own classroom or home? Check out the book Bread Lab from our friends READERS to EATERS to get started, and check out our easily adaptable bread lesson in our online Food Education Center: https://lnkd.in/g7ZDbFKe (featuring a no-knead bread recipe from Greg Wade himself!) #foodeducation #pilotlightchefs #breadmaking #teacherspotlight