Teen Food Justice League

Teens ages 13-18 who have a passion for healthy food, like to garden or cook (or want to learn!) and have a spirit of giving back to their community are invited to participate in our summer Food Justice League. 

Established in 2018, Food Justice League is week-long day camp program for teens and is a collaborative effort between Healthy Acadia and Narraguagus High School’s Future Farmers of America chapter and Food Justice League that focuses on building skills and knowledge in the areas of sustainable food production, local food systems, healthy cooking and reducing food waste. Campers explore issues such as food security, nutrition, healthy meal prep (campers prepare their own healthy lunches each day), and food waste. 

Throughout the week, the teens visit local gardens, farms, food producers, and organizations working to make a difference in our local food systems.The program culminates with a final project on Sunday, when students prepare a community meal at the Downeast Table of Plenty, a weekly feast hosted by the Maine Seacoast Mission at the Weald Bethel campus in Cherryfield.

“With the building of this garden, the students have created the largest classroom in the school - a place where hands-on learning about how to grow food, how our community is fed and how they can make a difference - can happen during the growing season. Our week was full of opportunities for the youth to discuss food systems in our community and make decisions about what they can do right now to build positive change. Many thanks also to the many community partners that participated in the program,” said Regina Grabrovac, Healthy Acadia Food Programs Manager in Washington County, and co-facilitator of the program.

In 2019, students tilled 1,600 square feet of soil on the Narraguagus Junior-Senior High School campus, creating the Mary Endre Memorial Garden in honor of the school’s beloved science teacher lost to cancer in 2018. Healthy Acadia’s Maine SNAP-Ed Nutrition Educator Sara McConnell offered daily Cooking Matters classes where youth prepared their own healthy lunches. Field trips to Incredible Edible Milbridge community gardens, Folklore Farm and the Maine Seacoast Mission’s food pantry and a visit by Maine Outdoor School rounded out an amazing week of learning for this group of teens.

“What you have done here this past week is incredible,” commented one of the youth’s parents on Sunday where students prepared their final project – a community meal served to 60 people at the Downeast Table of Plenty, a weekly community feast hosted by the Maine Seacoast Mission.

In 2020, due to COVID-19, the program took place primarily at the Cherryfield Academy, Main Street, Cherryfield, with some programming held off-site within walking distance. Campers, staff, and participating farms followed CDC-safety guidelines and protocols for reducing the spread of the new coronavirus.  

“Our son really enjoyed it so much. It was totally new for him and he actually talked a great deal about the foods and the field trips. He also seemed proud of the hard garden work,” shared one parent. “Thank you again for providing such an amazing experience.” 

Future plans for the Narraguagus campus include a greenhouse in order to extend the growing season. 

Stay tuned for information about next year’s Food Justice League. For more information, contact Regina Grabrovac at 207-255-3741 or email regina@healthyacadia.org.