Youth Leadership & Service Learning

This component is designed to help students find a lasting sense of purpose and place within Hawaiʻi’s food systems transformation. Recommended activities begin with an overview of context, including addressing feelings of overwhelm or anxiety that can be associated with climate change. What is needed? What do your students love to do? What are they best at? This is their ikigai (reason for being)!

 

Discovering Student Purpose in Farm to School

This section includes a collection of activities designed to support a student’s investigation of their Ikigai (purpose) in farm to school.

Ikigai Diagram
Your Ikigai (Grades 7-12, Adults) – Assignment
What can you bring to Farm to School and Food Systems? How are you a changemaker? The purpose of this activity is to discover what excites you about Farm to School, and to understand your contribution in a way that you can sustain and deepen for a decade.
Graphic of Ike ‘ai Transforming Hawai’i’s Food System Together

‘Ike ‘Ai Storyboard (Grades 7-12, Adults) – Lesson Activity

Lesson for engaging students in reviewing the Ike ‘ai Transforming Food Systems Infographic

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Sustainable Community Food Systems with Albie Miles  (Grades 7-12, Adults) – Video

Video by Dr. Albie Miles of UH West Oahu, Sustainable Community Food Systems. Overview of challenges with Hawaii’s Food System.

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My Food Story – (All Ages)

Lesson Activity Lesson for participants to contemplate and recognize their own food story and that of others. Can be modified for appropriate grade level

Zoom In / Zoom Out (All ages) – Video

Video that represents the idea of zoom in- zoom out when considering your role in food systems.

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Writing Your Manifesto (Grades 7-12, Adults) – Lesson Activity

Have students review, “Manifest(o)ing Your Yes” pg. 20-22. Then, consider, what is important to you? What will guide your work for the next 10 years? Spend 15-20 min free-writing what is your purpose in this work. Write without judgement. Your manifesto is yours, you can revisit it, update or tweak it at any time.

Service Learning

These resources are available for educators interested in engaging their students in service learning activities related to farm to school, including a service learning journal that teachers can use with their students.

The Sustainability Service Learning Journal Cover Page
Service & Sustainability Learning Journal (Grades 7-12, Adults) – Workbook
Two versions of the Youth Leadership Service Learning journals:

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5 Models of Service Learning (Adults) – Resource

For educators, this short description provides context for teachers interested in introducing service learning in their classrooms.

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Steps to Designing a Successful Service Learning Project for Farm to School (Adults) – Resource

A brief guide listing suggestions and questions to ask when designing a service learning project for farm to school.

Working With Emotions

As students understand the urgency of climate change and the detrimental impacts of certain human activities, they need emotional support. The resources listed here support students in moving through their emotions in the context of the cycle of grief.

Truth Mandala
Truth Mandala (Grades 7-12, Adults) – Lesson Activity

Adapted from the Work that Reconnects, the Truth Mandala activity helps voice difficult emotions

“A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety” (Grades 7-12, Adults) – Lesson Activity

This excerpt in “A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety” describes the purpose and how to create a manifesto

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Medicine Walk Storytelling (Grades 7-12, Adults) – Activity

To be used as an activity for students (and adults) to contemplate and connect with their role in the challenges of food systems or climate change

Additional Resources

Farm to School Toolkit Slides – Youth Leadership & Service Learning (Adults) – Google Slides

Presentation slides for educators that can be used or modified for use with students.