In a town north of Los Angeles, Mar Vista Elementary School stands almost completely surrounded by farmland. On one side is a field of strawberries, the crop that made the town famous. On the other, it’s rows and rows of hoop houses containing what they’re pretty sure is artichokes. The town has long been an agricultural community, and many of the students at Mar Vista are from families that work in the fields.

FoodCorps is honored to present Amarilys with this year’s Alumni Service Leadership Award. When Amarilys Olivo (NJ ’17) founded a community garden, she decided to call it the “Garden of Worker Bees.” Bees work collaboratively to take care of their community; each bee has its role and contributes to the well-being of the whole. Amarilys wanted to emulate that work ethic to create opportunities for learning, building healthy lifestyles, and connecting with fellow community members.

Thanks to the efforts of a diverse coalition of advocates, the House’s historically bad farm bill proposal did not garner enough votes to pass. Also, FoodCorps is working with fellow national service organizations to call on Congress to again reject the President’s proposal to eliminate funding for national service.

FoodCorps service is open to creativity, and service members rely on their own personal strengths all while building upon the strengths that already exist in the communities that they serve.  From my Connecticut cohort to all two hundred plus service members spread across the nation, you can imagine how every single service experience is unique.

Pineapple, mango, kiwi, and strawberries for 80 students? I didn’t want to blow all my grant money on the second week of garden club, and I couldn’t find a grocery store in town willing to donate that much pricey produce. I had no idea how I would be able to pull off this lesson.

Though each child was in the vicinity of a desk or chair, most were reaching and moving, talking with friends, or poking each other. The rare seat held a child sitting quietly, removed from the din, reading a book.

I was terrified.

As soon as they’re accepted, new FoodCorps AmeriCorps service members spend a week at National Orientation, where they learn to teach kids how to cook and grow healthy food. Even after service, FoodCorps offers alumni opportunities to continue their education in related fields, such as policy and school food leadership. These three alumni credit FoodCorps trainings with supporting their current careers.

Molly, a FoodCorps AmeriCorps service member, sets out to find a beekeeper to speak with her students. Finding someone who represents the community she serves proves a tougher challenge.

When I first began applying to FoodCorps, I had my sights set on cities not so near home. I had been part of a great social scene in a college town doing college-y things and I was ready for everything except going back “home.” To me, serving close to home meant I was doing a safe thing. I could feel the eyes of friends and family waiting to see what far away thing my college degree would propel me into next, and going home after college just did not seem to fit that bill.

Moencopi Day School in Tuba City, Arizona, has offered a garden learning program for over 10 years. But it was just last spring that student-grown produce first appeared on this elementary school’s cafeteria lunch line—a Hopi Nation first. FoodCorps is proud to be supported nationally by the Walmart Foundation as together we seek to reach children with high quality, impactful nutrition education that sets kids up for healthy futures.