Genevievre Colianni – 3rd Grade at Mounds Park Academy – Maplewood, MN
Genevievre Colianni (she/her) is an elementary educator who has believed in Food Education Standard 1, “Food connects us to each other,” her entire life. Most of her earliest memories from childhood are all food-related: the bitter and surprising first taste of chives from her grandmother’s garden, the laughter over a large weekend meal with extended family members, and attending a friend’s family Seder.
She believes it’s essential to forge deeper connections with all people, as these connections drive one’s capacity to hold empathy for others. This major lesson is what she hopes her students take away from her current third grade classroom at Mounds Park Academy in Maplewood, Minnesota. She is eager to explore the Food Standards with guidance from Pilot Light, as it will enhance the global, political, and social-emotional awareness of her students. Genevievre is thrilled to be incorporating what she learns as a Pilot Light Food Education Fellow this year into her educational practice.