PreK Teacher in Chicago, IL
Beard Elementary School
2025-26 Fellow: Kristin B. has been teaching for ten years. She became interested in the Pilot Light Fellowship through other teaching experiences within Openlands. Through other Openlands programs within the Chicagoland area including a “Birds Within our Community” and Green Teacher Gatherings, Kristin has connected her students with nature within her community. Growing up on a farm, Kristin has always been passionate to teach children the importance of where food is grown, and how food comes from the farm, store, and to the table. Kristin is looking forward to learning how to create an environment for children to see learning about food as an experience to learn, and create community within the classroom.
Favorite Food Education Standard: FES #1: Food Connects Us to Each Other.
Kristin believes in the power of how food connects people to each other. Food transforms between boundaries. Food changes as we travel and move from place to place. Food allows us the space to learn and grow from others that are also different from us.
A Favorite Food Memory or Recipe:
Kristin has a core memory of her grandma cooking in the kitchen. Every cooking experience was built on a core foundation of laughing with those around her. Kristin remembers washing and soaking potatoes before boiling. She loved to take a bite of the potato before they soaked into the pot. After taking a bite out of the potato, her grandma would begin to boil them. This strange desire would always make my grandma laugh, making the best mashed potatoes for the family to enjoy.
What I’m Most Excited About as a New Fellow:
Kristin is most excited to find ways to connect standard based curriculum with real world connections to food within our community. Kristin wants to create lessons that allow all children to read and follow with their families to make recipes that connect them with their school family.
