1st Grade Teacher in Hoschton, GA
West Jackson Elementary School
2025-26 Fellow: Dr. Stephanie Westhafer has been teaching elementary education for 13 years. She first became interested in the Pilot Light Fellowship through her work bringing food and agriculture into her first-grade classroom, where lessons often begin in the school’s learning garden. Over the past two years, she has focused on agricultural literacy, helping students explore where food comes from, how it grows, and why it matters. She is looking forward to collaborating with Fellows to create engaging, food-centered lessons that connect families, communities, and classroom. She is also the Little Sprouts Garden Club sponsor at her STEAM-certified school. Her students have grown vegetables for the community, baked pizza from their own harvest, and connected science, literacy, and history through food. A passionate advocate for integrated learning, she also serves as the Georgia Science Teachers Association Elementary Representative and has received state and national awards for interdisciplinary and innovative science teaching.
Favorite Food Education Standard: FES #2 – Foods have sources and origins.
The Food Education Standard that resonates most with me is Standard 2: Foods have sources and origins. My work in agricultural literacy has shown me how powerful it is when young learners understand where their food comes from (seed to harvest to table). In our school garden, students plant, tend, and harvest crops, then explore the science, history, and culture behind ingredients. Projects like our “We Planted a Pizza” garden give students hands-on experiences that link the natural world, farming practices, and the meals they eat every day. By helping students discover the origins of their food, I’m also fostering connections to farmers, the environment, and cultural traditions. This standard reflects my belief that understanding food’s journey empowers students to make informed choices and see themselves as part of a larger food system.
A Favorite Food Memory or Recipe:
One of my favorite food memories is when we invited a local chef to teach our class how to make fresh spring rolls, using ingredients from our farm tower. Students harvested, washed, and wrapped ingredients, many tasting tat soi and Bok choy for the first time. As we worked, one student shared how she makes spring rolls with her grandmother in Vietnam, explaining each step and ingredient with excitement. This activity became more than a cooking lesson, it was a bridge between cultures, sparking conversations about family traditions, favorite foods, and the ways we connect through what we eat.
What I’m Most Excited About as a New Fellow:
I am most excited for the Food Education Fellowship because it will allow me to collaborate with like-minded educators and bring fresh, creative ideas into my classroom. I look forward to developing engaging, hands-on lessons that connect my students to the origins, culture, and health benefits of the foods they eat. This fellowship will also give me new tools to inspire lifelong curiosity and healthy food choices in both my students and their families.
