9th-12th Grade Teacher in Chicago, IL – Roberto Clemente Community Academy HS
2023-24 Fellow: Andie Townhouse has been a librarian for six years, and a teacher for sixteen. She first became interested in the Pilot Light Fellowship when a chance meeting with the Puerto Rican Cultural Center initiated the donation of two hydroponic towers. This donation resulted in a popular lunchtime Horticulture Club with her students, and she looks forward to sharing even more food justice inquiries with her entire school community.
Andie earned her MLIS from UW-Milwaukee with a focus on services to children. In addition, she has an MA in English from Roosevelt University, an MA in Women’s Studies and Gender Studies from Loyola University, and a BA in English from UW-Madison. She has been plant-forward for her entire life and a passionate vegetarian cook. Andie is interested in how far our food miles travel to get to us, as well as the ways in which our senses connect during a shared meal.
Favorite Food Education Standard: FES #1: Food Connects Us to Each Other.
Sharing a meal goes beyond just the food on the plate. It really is a chance to share your “senses” with each other. Food, in general, is very much a shared experience. It’s also an awesome conversation starter!
A Favorite Food Memory or Recipe:
A favorite educational memory has to be the community salad we ate in Horticulture Club using the lettuce we grew right here in the library! We even had parent volunteers come and set up the event. It was truly a special meal had by all.
Why I Became a Fellow:
I’m so excited to be in the company of like-minded educators who all share the same passion and interests about food!
