Introducing FEEDING FUTURES: a new opportunity for teachers in Chicago, Decatur, and East St. Louis interested in Food Education!
The Feeding Futures Fellowship application is officially open! This new initiative is a two-year, paid professional development program for 3rd through 5th grade teachers in Chicago, Decatur, and East St. Louis, IL.
Pilot Light is currently seeking Chicago teachers in the Austin, Englewood, and North Lawndale neighborhoods to join the first Feeding Futures cohort. Feeding Futures was created for teachers interested in bringing Food and Agriculture Education to their students on a weekly basis for two years to expose young people to how food systems impact their lives, particularly from a culturally relevant perspective. Additionally, Feeding Futures plans to develop student interest in becoming food system changemakers with an interest in future careers in agriculture, farming, and/or agri-business. In addition to integrated Food Education lessons, Fellows will partner with an individual or organization in their local food space to support student-led advocacy work within their classrooms.
As a Feeding Futures Fellow, teachers will:
- Deliver weekly lessons integrating food as context into core subjects.
- Engage in over 30 hours of monthly professional development with IL continuing education credits issued.
- Earn a $2,000 stipend per year for participation, implementation, and evaluation + receive $400 additional for classroom materials per year, as well as additional funding to support regular work with a partner in their local food space.
- Receive 1:1 coaching and support from Pilot Light staff an industry experts.
- Engage in designated collaboration time with the Feeding Futures grade-level specific cohort consisting of teachers in Chicago, East St. Louis, and Decatur, IL.
- In Year 2, participate in cohort learning opportunities around developing relevant curricular resources to support growing your local food system.
- School will receive a $1,500 stipend per teacher to provide sub coverage for collaborative learning opportunities, materials, supply and maintenance costs, and any additional needs.
Interested Chicago-based educators can apply here through June 3rd, 2024 through our Food Education Fellowship application and note their interest in Feeding Futures at the end of the application while interested educators from East St. Louis and Decatur can apply via this interest form through June 3rd, 2024. Administrator approval is required for all educators and also due on 6/3/24. Administrator approval is required and also due on 6/3/24.
More about Feeding Futures
Feeding Futures is an initiative of the Food-Integrated Education Alliance (FIEA), of which Pilot Light is a member and will be implemented in Chicago, Decatur, and East St. Louis, Illinois. Teachers elected for Feeding Futures will have a unique opportunity to be part of an intra-district network of educators supported by Pilot Light and the Alliance (no travel required) and be connected with other FIEA members including the Chicago High School for Agriculture Science, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, Decatur Public Schools Foundation, Illinois State Board of Education, Jackie Joyner Kersee Food, Agriculture and Nutrition Innovation Center in East St. Louis, Office of the Lt. Governor of Illinois, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), who will support the Fellowship with assessment and evaluation.