Posted Dec 13, 2019
Carly is just one of the 535 Edible Education students Green City Market reaches, helping Chicago's next generation of eaters to learn where their food comes from and why it matters. Donate today to grow support for students like Carly and ensure that healthy, local, sustainable food is available for generations to come.
Carly, a senior at DePaul College Prep, is part of the first set of students to go through Green City Market’s Edible Education program. The 2019-2020 school year is the third year Green City Market has been delivering our Edible Education programming at DePaul College Prep and our second year at Carl Von Linne Elementary. In class, students work together to prepare wholesome food while learning where local, sustainably-grown food comes from, how to procure and prepare it, and, most importantly, how students’ choices impact their nourishment and the future of food.
If you’re passionate about educating the next generation of eaters and students like Carly, you can make your impact by donating today! Your gift can help more students like Carly. Read on for Carly’s perspective on how Edible Education impacted her understanding of food and her role in the future of food.
“Edible Education changed my lifestyle and my values. I am more conscientious of what I put into my article than before. I am cooking more for myself rather than my parents. I am incorporating more fruits and vegetables into my diet, and reducing the amount of money I spend on fast foods. Edible Education was a class that I had always looked forward to within the school day, as it was an exciting, friendly, and hands-on learning environment.
I owe everything to the Edible Education program as I feel it shaped me as a person. I feel more connected to the environment. I am more mindful of reducing waste. For example, I now know what parts of a vegetable can be used for different meals. Also, I am really passionate about promoting sustainability. For example, instead of buying plastic water bottles, I only use reusable water bottles.
Through the connections I made during the Edible Education program, I received a job opportunity working at Abby’s Crepes Stand For Good throughout the outdoor market for both the 2018 and 2019 seasons. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity, as I got to use the basic cooking skills I learned in Edible Education. Every Saturday morning, I would help my co-workers cut the seasonal produce from the market to be used in the crepes.
From my experience working at the farmers market, I have become more passionate about supporting local farmers and eliminating waste. I would recommend GCM’s Edible Education program because of the hands-on learning experience and the practical skills learned. I will forever appreciate the skills I learned during my time taking Edible Education and the people I met through my job at the crepe stand.”