Youth Request for Conference Workshop Proposals (2022 MA Farm & Sea to School Conf.)

Call for Workshops! 

Proposal deadline (extended): Wednesday, March 9, 2022
Notification of proposal status: March 25, 2022

Between May 16-21 2022, Massachusetts Farm to School will host the 6th statewide gathering, the Massachusetts Farm & Sea to School Conference, and we want to amplify your voices and learn from your activism! This year’s conference theme is, “Seeding the Future,” and it will highlight how young people are fighting for climate sustainability and food justice, and taking leadership roles in the farm and sea to school movement.

This year, we are shifting from our previous format (day-long, in-person) to a hybrid format. The weeklong event will feature virtual workshops, panel discussions, and facilitated youth networking as well as in-person regional field trips (over the weekend)! Unless they are field trip based, all virtual workshops will take place during school hours. 

The general criteria for proposals: 

• Proposals should relate to the theme of this year’s conference: Seeding the Future. 
• Workshops should highlight the work that youth are doing around farm and sea to school and food and climate justice.
• Workshop sessions can range from 45-75 minutes.
• You may submit a proposal for a virtual workshop, in-person field trip, or a two part workshop that includes both a virtual segment and a related field trip. 
• Your application should include an adult “supervisor” as a contact person.

Under the conference theme, topics of interest include, but are not limited to: 

• Youth activism and engagement in farm and sea to school
• Farm to school curriculum and classroom experiences
• Climate and environmental justice
• Racial equity and social justice in the food system
• Food justice, access and security

Benefits to presenting:

• Opportunity to share your great farm to school ideas and projects with other students (and adults)
• Public recognition for your project (on the Mass. Farm to School website & social media sites)
• Develop real-world public speaking skills
• Build experience for your resume and/or college application
• Connect with youth at other schools and/or organizations to share (and present) projects
• Receive a stipend & presenter certificate

Submission Information

Submit your workshop proposal online HERE. 

If online submission is not possible for you, please download this form, complete and mail by March 9th to:

Mass. Farm to School
PO Box 213
Beverly, MA 01915

Questions:  

For questions on your workshop submission, please contact Lisa Damon at 413-253-3844 or lisa@massfarmtoschool.org