With the close of spring and the beginning of summer, we celebrate the conclusion of our programs' spring semesters. Both Baton Roots and Futures Fund held Capstone events on May 7th to showcase what their semesters' students were able to learn (and grow).
Baton Roots: Hustle & Grow
(Serving Glen Oaks High, Istrouma High, and Capital High)
Students, families, & community members gathered at the Baton Roots Community Farm at Howell Park to celebrate this year's Hustle & Grow Student Farmers. Hustle & Grow Student Farmers were presented with a certificate of achievement and bouquets of flowers from the pollinator rows at Hustle & Grow school gardens.
Student Farmers and Baton Roots staff sold produce from the Hustle & Grow school gardens in a pay-what-you-can produce stand. This model allows students to learn the entrepreneurial side of urban agriculture while keeping food accessible to the community. All proceeds from the stand support school gardens and educational programs.
Alongside these festivities was the Baton Roots monthly event Sow Good Saturday. Sow Good Saturday takes place on the first Saturday of each month and includes a garden workshop/activity, a free movement class, and a cooking demonstration/tasting. This month, community members harvested potatoes in a workshop about spring harvesting, then attended an exercise class led by personal wellness coach Brittney LaSha. Afterward, Chef Traci and the American Heart Association cooked up Baton Roots vegetables into a Mediterranean stir fry for all to try!
Futures Fund: Tech Academy
Photos by Kennedy Morgan, Futures Fund Photography Mentor
Having been virtual since 2020, Futures Fund Tech Academy was excited to return in person to Southern University in March 2022. Still remaining hybrid, the program looked to build the youth community network, primarily by empowering its youth Mentors to take control over various aspects of the program, including building and running the capstone end-of-semester event.
This capstone event showcased representatives from each level of Coding for the Web and our Photography programs. After speaking about their experiences, youth and families were guided to classrooms to see presentations by each student.
These presentations vary by level and course but emulate the skills they learned throughout the semester. Photography trainees held a gallery of their photographs, while Coding trainees shared the websites they built over the 10 weeks of training.
Futures Fund Tech Academy also had a special guest performance by New Orleans rapper Alfred Banks. This engaging performance wrapped up the event with high energy and excitement for the upcoming fall semester.
See below for this semester's work by the Tech Academy's Youth Photographers: