As students return to the classroom this week, “What did you do this summer?” is a much-anticipated, and sometimes dreaded, question many young people are bound to hear. And in this second pandemic summer after 18 months of school closures, the question is especially fraught for many kids. But for a group of San Francisco high school students who dedicated eight weeks working at the farmers market or school garden, one answer is resoundingly clear: “I was a Foodwise Teens Fellow.”

The Foodwise Teens Fellowship is a continuation of CUESA’s Foodwise Teens paid job training program, where ​​students learn about food justice, develop job skills, and get hands-on experience in the garden, kitchen, and farmers markets. Complementing the semester-long after-school program, the fellowship is an opportunity for students to take their food education to the next level, expand their professional resume, and connect with people and nature.

Each student grew in their own way, and each gave back to their community tenfold in the wholehearted care, courage, and leadership with which they showed up. Don’t take our word for it; hear from the students themselves!