Reflecting on the 2024 Fellowship Graduation
February 22, 2024 | By
The 2024 Healthy School Food Pathway Fellowship Graduation gathered school food changemakers to celebrate the inaugural cohort of Fellows, connect and share ideas, and build momentum to continue transforming school food together.
In late January, Chef Ann Foundation (CAF) hosted a gathering in Sacramento, CA, to celebrate the graduation of the inaugural cohort of Healthy School Food Pathway (HSFP) Fellows. The Fellowship is the first registered apprenticeship program designed to develop the next generation of diverse school food leaders. The graduation event gathered Fellows and their food service directors, friends, and family, along with a diverse group of school food and workforce development stakeholders from the state of California and across the country, for one-and-a-half inspiring and jam-packed days.
In late January, Chef Ann Foundation (CAF) hosted a gathering in Sacramento, CA, to celebrate the graduation of the inaugural cohort of Healthy School Food Pathway (HSFP) Fellows. The Fellowship is the first registered apprenticeship program designed to develop the next generation of diverse school food leaders. The graduation event gathered Fellows and their food service directors, friends, and family, along with a diverse group of school food and workforce development stakeholders from the state of California and across the country, for one-and-a-half inspiring and jam-packed days.
The Fellowship aims to cultivate leaders who can advocate for and bring to fruition healthy school meals, efficient scratch-cooking operations, climate-positive food system solutions, and an equity-driven, valued workforce. On the first day, the Fellows presented their capstone projects, which provided proof positive of how they have pursued these goals.
Below are a few examples of projects within each theme:
- Healthy school meals: Fellows found creative ways to serve more delicious, freshly prepared meals that met the needs of their communities. Several implemented new serving lines, like a salad bar or mobile food cart, to introduce new, healthy, student-led options.
- Efficient scratch cooking operations: Fellows procured new equipment or software to streamline their operations. One Fellow purchased food processors to cut down on the cost and packaging waste of pre-cut produce, which also improved product quality. Their staff were amazed by how quickly it could shred a whole head of cabbage!
- Climate-positive food system solutions: Fellows forged connections with local farmers and other food producers, and conducted testing and promotion to support student acceptance and reduce waste. One Fellow used an integrated marketing campaign to drive successful taste testing of new local vegetable sides, and another used a smoker to impart new flavors and excitement to plant-based dishes.
- Equity-driven, valued workforce: Several Fellows focused on upskilling staff and professionalizing school food through an annual professional development program or a culinary training series for staff looking to deepen their skills.
The Fellowship aims to cultivate leaders who can advocate for and bring to fruition healthy school meals, efficient scratch-cooking operations, climate-positive food system solutions, and an equity-driven, valued workforce. On the first day, the Fellows presented their capstone projects, which provided proof positive of how they have pursued these goals.
Below are a few examples of projects within each theme:
- Healthy school meals: Fellows found creative ways to serve more delicious, freshly prepared meals that met the needs of their communities. Several implemented new serving lines, like a salad bar or mobile food cart, to introduce new, healthy, student-led options.
- Efficient scratch cooking operations: Fellows procured new equipment or software to streamline their operations. One Fellow purchased food processors to cut down on the cost and packaging waste of pre-cut produce, which also improved product quality. Their staff were amazed by how quickly it could shred a whole head of cabbage!
- Climate-positive food system solutions: Fellows forged connections with local farmers and other food producers, and conducted testing and promotion to support student acceptance and reduce waste. One Fellow used an integrated marketing campaign to drive successful taste testing of new local vegetable sides, and another used a smoker to impart new flavors and excitement to plant-based dishes.
- Equity-driven, valued workforce: Several Fellows focused on upskilling staff and professionalizing school food through an annual professional development program or a culinary training series for staff looking to deepen their skills.
After the graduation ceremony, attendees had the opportunity to talk with Fellows about their projects during a poster session. Fellows shared their successes, challenges, and ideas with energy and honesty, infusing the room with hope and enthusiasm for the future of school food.
After the graduation ceremony, attendees had the opportunity to talk with Fellows about their projects during a poster session. Fellows shared their successes, challenges, and ideas with energy and honesty, infusing the room with hope and enthusiasm for the future of school food.
In addition to certificates of completion from the California Division of Apprenticeship Standards, U.S. Department of Labor, and Chef Ann Foundation’s School Food Institute, and instead of the standard diploma, each Fellow received an engraved chef’s knife. Not just a symbol of their accomplishment, the chef’s knife is also a tool. This token symbolized the imperative of continuing to put their learning and leadership into action, one knife cut (or food processor shred, menu item, or state-level policy) at a time.
In addition to certificates of completion from the California Division of Apprenticeship Standards, U.S. Department of Labor, and Chef Ann Foundation’s School Food Institute, and instead of the standard diploma, each Fellow received an engraved chef’s knife. Not just a symbol of their accomplishment, the chef’s knife is also a tool. This token symbolized the imperative of continuing to put their learning and leadership into action, one knife cut (or food processor shred, menu item, or state-level policy) at a time.
Soil Born co-founder Shawn Harrison and Youth Educational Manager Shannon Hardwicke provided tours of the farm. Shannon focused on their educational work with youth, including their long-standing relationship with Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD). More recently, Soil Born has been able to start producing lettuces and other greens for SCUSD’s Nutrition Services program. Shawn showed attendees their half acre of high tunnels, which were in various stages of production or harvesting. He shared that his hope was for their project to demonstrate just how much food could be continuously grown on a relatively small amount of land using high tunnels.
Soil Born co-founder Shawn Harrison and Youth Educational Manager Shannon Hardwicke provided tours of the farm. Shannon focused on their educational work with youth, including their long-standing relationship with Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD). More recently, Soil Born has been able to start producing lettuces and other greens for SCUSD’s Nutrition Services program. Shawn showed attendees their half acre of high tunnels, which were in various stages of production or harvesting. He shared that his hope was for their project to demonstrate just how much food could be continuously grown on a relatively small amount of land using high tunnels.
The group also met the Central Kitchen Floor Supervisor and Chef Shawn Marie Rivera, who shared about her work and why she’s excited to be part of the 2024 Fellowship cohort. SCUSD treated visitors to a delicious lunch of locally sourced Sun Fed Ranch braised beef, mashed potatoes, whole grain rolls, and a salad of Soil Born Farms lettuce with a dressing made with local raw honey from Sola Bee Farms – all of which are or were featured on this year’s school lunch menu.
The group also met the Central Kitchen Floor Supervisor and Chef Shawn Marie Rivera, who shared about her work and why she’s excited to be part of the 2024 Fellowship cohort. SCUSD treated visitors to a delicious lunch of locally sourced Sun Fed Ranch braised beef, mashed potatoes, whole grain rolls, and a salad of Soil Born Farms lettuce with a dressing made with local raw honey from Sola Bee Farms – all of which are or were featured on this year’s school lunch menu.
