Pilot Light

Everyday, hundreds of educators across the country are teaching about food, cooking, nutrition, agriculture, and food systems. This is vitally important information that students of all ages need to become the food system leaders of the future -- but we don't often hear these stories. That's why this October, Pilot Light is launching our first-ever Food Education in Action Week, a weeklong celebration of Food Education stories and events to amplify the importance of Food Ed. and garner support for the incredible educators enriching their student's learning through food. Want to get involved? Teachers can start planning and submit their stories anytime on our website: https://lnkd.in/gWPhBedZ. If you know someone who has been a part of a Pilot Light program before, or uses food in their classroom, share this post with them and ask if you can support their upcoming Food Ed. lessons! We're so excited to share your Food Education stories this October 7-11! Let's get cooking! #foodeducation #pilotlightchefs #takeaction #teaching #fooded Taylor Meredith Alexandra DeSorbo-Quinn

FRESHFARM FoodPrints is joining Pilot Light in our first ever “Food Education in Action Week!” Pilot Light Food Education Standards are a key way that FoodPrints’ connects academics to food education. Wondering what this looks like in action? Students at Amidon Bowen school learned that plants have families and made observational drawings of plants by the families they belong to. These students drew peppers and eggplants together because they both belong to the nightshade family. In this “Plants and Their Families” lesson, students practice the Next Generation Science Standard of making observations to learn about the diversity of life AND the Pilot Light Food Education Standard of learning about the origins and sources of food. Thank you, FRESHFARM FoodPrints for using the Pilot Light Food Education Standards in your hands-on lessons and for joining our Food Education in Action Week! We believe that Food Education is the key to a sustainable food systems future, and you are helping make that vision a reality! Ready to take action? Get started at: https://lnkd.in/gWPhBedZ You can participate any time! #foodeducation #standardsbasedlearning #foodeducationactionweek #f2smonth

💐 Thank you so much to our sponsors Resy and American Express for supporting our 2024 Feed Your Mind Gala! Your collaboration through the Global Dining Access program shows your appreciation for promoting local cuisine and giving food lovers the opportunity to explore fine dining in their area! Thank you for giving back to our community. 🍽️ Don’t forget — tickets for the 2024 Feed Your Mind Gala are still on sale! Don’t miss your chance to experience this one-of-a-kind evening in support of Food Education. Get your tickets today while you still can: https://lnkd.in/gv8aJ3Sk #pilotlightchefs #feedyourmindgala #thankyou #sponsorshoutout

We are excited to be a part of the International Fresh Produce Association's Global Produce & Floral show this month (Oct. 17-19) in Atlanta, Georgia! Our Executive Director Alexandra DeSorbo-Quinn will be speaking on a panel moderated by DNO Produce COO and Pilot Light Advisory Board President Alex DiNovo entitled "Growing Healthy Habits: Transforming Children's Diets Through Early Education." Register for to attend this panel here: https://lnkd.in/d4Xci8qB Thank you, IFPA, for this opportunity! #pilotlightchefs #panels #nonprofitpartnerships #panelspeakers

It's officially Food Education in Action Week!  This week, we're celebrating the stories of the amazing teachers who make Pilot Light's integrated Food Education model possible. Today's story comes from Food Education Fellow Mrs. Russell, who led a lesson on seasonal winter produce with her PreK students last year. Students visited their school's garden and made observations about what was - and wasn't - growing before making a soup with entirely seasonal vegetables, including lots of root veggies, squash, and creamy milk. The soup was a hit with students: one even told Mrs. Russell: "It tastes so fresh! I’m going to tell my mom to make this at home, too!” Food Education doesn't have to include a big list of ingredients and steps to make a huge impact on students and their families and communities. We love how this lesson introduces concepts like seasonal cooking and recipe development in a simple, age-appropriate way. Way to go, Mrs. Russell! To submit your Food Education story, visit us at https://lnkd.in/gQii6JPy #farmtoschool #foodeducation #f2smonth #foodeducationactionweek

Don't forget to vote for Pilot Light for People's Choice at the Chicago Innovation Awards! 🤩

We're staying hydrated at the 2024 Feed Your Mind Gala with our premium water sponsors San Pellegrino and Acqua Panna! This is their first year sponsoring our annual fundraiser: after a chance meeting at an event earlier this year, we connected with their amazing team who immediately became passionate supporters of our mission. Thank you so much for being a part of this year's event! Don’t forget — tickets for the 2024 Feed Your Mind Gala are still on sale! Don’t miss your chance to experience this one-of-a-kind evening in support of Food Education. Get your tickets today while you still can: https://lnkd.in/gv8aJ3Sk

We are so honored to have had the support of Jordan Tepper and the entire Apologue and Hoste Cocktails team for the past 6 years. Their commitment to supporting our locally-grown mission astounding - over the years, they've contributed over $30,000 of their proceeds to Pilot Light classrooms. Thank you for this incredible support - it means so much to our entire team. Don't forget to check out their products, especially the Hoste Gold Fashioned cocktail, this gifting season!

Happy National Farm to School Month! We are excited to celebrate the stories of the Pilot Light teachers, students, and community members who are doing Food Education and Farm to School work in their classrooms and cafeterias everyday during our first ever Food Education in Action Week (Oct. 7-11) and all month long. A recent favorite Farm to School story comes from the 2023-24 Food Education Fellowship, where one 6th grade classroom in Hamilton, New York hosted a "dairy drive" to raise enough funds for their school cafeteria to purchase products from local dairy farm Collins Creamery! This was more than a fundraiser – this was a student-driven effort to make a schoolwide investment in local food.  These students' efforts raised enough funds to purchase almost an entire school year’s worth of local milk, showcasing the power of student leadership to make a meaningful difference not just in their cafeteria, but also in the surrounding community. In addition, the class raised enough funds to purchase seven weeks’ worth of Collins milk products for their local senior living facility, spreading the joy of local food to a population that experiences a high level of food insecurity in their community. This partnership with Collins Creamery also gave students the opportunity to visit this “cow to carton” dairy farm in person, where they learned how to make butter, saw cheese curd production up close, and witnessed the milk processing procedure for themselves. We love how this story shows how schools can build meaningful partnerships with local food system workers, organizations, and businesses to create long-lasting change throughout their community. Ready to share your Food Education story? Food Education in Action Week starts very soon! Learn more on our website: https://lnkd.in/gWPhBedZ Photos & story from: Monica Chamberlain, 6th grade educator & Pilot Light Food Education Fellow (2023-24) National Farm to School Network #FarmtoSchool #F2Smonth #foodeducation #foodsystemsaction

Remember: Food Education in Action Week starts in just 7 days! We're inviting teachers across the country to get their school communities involved in a hands-on Food Education lesson this October 7-11th. Learn more and start planning your action today with our curated list of books and lesson plans on our website: https://lnkd.in/gWPhBedZ #foodeducation #pilotlightchefs #takeaction