Wenona S. Woolfolk
Title: Feeding Futures Program Manager
As the Feeding Futures Program Manager, Wenona Woolfolk oversees program implementation and community building of Pilot Light’s Feeding Futures Fellowship and the Food Integrated Education Coalition. She implements the Feeding Futures Fellowship and makes sure we are connecting all partners and teachers in the FIEA coalition with one another, to foster Agriculture and Food Education place-based learning across IL.
Wenona has been in the field of education for 23 years. She has taught on the college level, middle school and elementary school levels as well. Majority of her tenure as an educator has been in dual roles as both a teacher and a teacher leader. Wenona was also a part of the groundwork of the Illinois Model Math Curriculum focus creators for LiveBinders. She has a STEM certification from Washington University via STEMpact and has created, managed and coordinated STEM programming and many other programs for students that she serves in East St. Louis, IL. Wenona has mentored and led many educators in her journey of service. Wenona has served her community in many capacities ranging from working as committee precinct councilwoman to being a community activist.
A graduate of Eastern Illinois University, Wenona earned her bachelorette degree in Education with a concentration in Math Education. She earned her Masters of Education Curriculum and Instruction degree from Concordia University.
Favorite Food Education Standard:
I thought about this for probably what was a little too long, in part because they all have affected me in some way. If I had to choose, I would have to choose Standard 2 – Foods have sources and origins. This standard provokes feeling and makes me think about all that I do not know regarding historical food systems and how they have come to be: my curiosity is evoked. My family has Native American origins, as well as African and so much of it lost, but I still feel it at times. It makes me want to know about my family’s food story and how it relates to my current personal one. Being an educator, I connect everything to science, math, art, and social sciences because it benefits those that I service daily. This standard introduces students to the big picture of food, but in a segmented way.
A favorite food memory…
My family would come together 1 week before Thanksgiving to celebrate my great-grandparents wedding anniversary. My great-grand parents had 10 children, so there would be a house full of people. This celebration was epic every year, and the entire family would be there. We would work for 2 days straight on preparing meals as a family. Everyone would chip in and do something, even the children. There would be dancing, singing, skits, and so much love and food to go around. We had everything from cornbread dressing to my uncle Mike’s famous sweet potato pies; we only had his pie once a year, so we all could not wait to get a slice. The food was always fresh, because we grew a lot of it and what we did not grow, we got from local farms and Farmer’s Markets. I yearn today for those moments and that food.
Reach me: wenona@pilotlightchefs.org or connect with me on LinkedIn!