2023-2024 ANNUAL REPORT
JULY 1, 2023 - JUNE 30, 2024
Dear Friends,
As we celebrate 30 years of the Edible Schoolyard Project, we reflect with
gratitude on the countless moments of awe, wonder, and connection that
have shaped this journey.
What began in 1995 as a single program at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle
School in Berkeley, with 800 students speaking 22 diferent languages
at home, has blossomed into a global movement, inspiring 6,500 edible
education programs across 47 countries. This growth reflects the
Montessori belief that the senses are the pathways into our minds, and that
food is a powerful tool for learning, collaboration, and care. We are not
teaching gardening or cooking per se, but using a kitchen and garden
classroom to teach the academic curriculum to its standards. A geography
class on the Middle East taught in the kitchen where students have cooked
and eaten hummus from the area, becomes an unforgettable memory. The
students will never forget the taste of that region because they have
learned about it experientially.
As we look ahead, we remain committed to teaching this curriculum using
garden and kitchen classrooms that are adaptable to every climate and
culture. We also remain committed to expanding our reach and ensuring
that every child ~ regardless of background ~ has access to joyful, hands-on
edible education. Thank you for being part of this delicious revolution.
With hope and love,
Alice Waters
Founder of Chez Panisse Restaurant &
The Edible Schoolyard Project
COVER PHOTO:
Each Spring our Annual Plant Sale brings together students, families, and
neighbors in Berkeley! A joyful tradition, the event raises vital funds for our
programs—typically selling more than 2,000 plants grown with care by students,
staf, volunteers, and community partners. PHOTO BY PAULINE CHATELAN
Ashley Rouse
Executive Director
The Edible Schoolyard Project
Everything has its place in the ESYP Kitchen Classroom, making it easy for students
to find what they need for recipes and lessons all year round. PHOTO BY PAULINE CHATELAN
WELCOME ASHLEY ROUSE
Ashley and Alice first met
in 2009 when Alice visited
Atlanta to see a school garden
installation that Ashley
was leading. Their shared
commitment to garden-based
education has enabled our
program to thrive.
In November 2022, following a nationwide search, the Edible Schoolyard
Project was delighted to welcome Ashley Rouse as our new Executive
Director.
Ashley has spent the past 17 years transforming local food systems through
farm-to-school programs. Prior to joining ESYP, she led Project Learning
Garden and Project Giving Gardens at the Captain Planet Foundation,
expanding garden-based education nationwide and strengthening farm-to-
school initiatives in Georgia. Ashley was instrumental in improving local
food procurement practices for Atlanta Public Schools and developing
programs that equip educators and students with gardening and cooking
skills. She also launched a rooftop garden-to-cafeteria pilot, empowering
high school students to engage in sustainable food systems.
As Executive Director of the Edible Schoolyard Project, her leadership is
guided by the belief that everyone deserves access to fresh, nourishing food
and the knowledge to advocate for a more just and sustainable future.
THE EDIBLE SCHOOLYARD PROJECT
HISTORY & OVERVIEW
The Edible Schoolyard Project is a nonprofit organization committed to
transforming public education through organic school gardens, kitchens,
and cafeterias, teaching academic subjects alongside the core values of
nourishment, stewardship, and community.
Founded in 1995 by chef, author, and activist Alice Waters, the
Edible Schoolyard at King Middle School in Berkeley, CA serves as a
demonstration site and innovation hub for the field of edible education.
Our nationally recognized, project-based curriculum ofers students hands-
on learning experiences that connect them to food, nature, and each other.
It also examines the crisis of climate change, public health, and social
inequality from a systems change perspective - helping youth find agency
in creating a better future.
Since 2009, the Edible
Schoolyard Project has
focused on building capacity
among educators to create
and sustain strong edible
education programs in their
home communities. Over 15
years, we’ve trained 10,000+
unique educators, reaching
2.5 million students annually.
Our network includes 6,500+
programs across 52 U.S.
states and territories and 47
countries. Through
in-person and virtual
training, we continue to
expand our impact and grow
our online community.
An exploration of culture,
collaboration, and scratch cooking.
Educators prepare a traditional
Mexican meal during a hands-on
lesson in edible education.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE EDIBLE SCHOOLYARD PROJECT
PHOTO BY ENNA SHEA MOBLEY
THE THREE PILLARS OF OUR WORK
EDIBLE SCHOOLYARD BERKELEY
The Edible Schoolyard Berkeley fosters hands-on learning, connecting
students to food while reinforcing academic concepts. Through cooking,
gardening, and food system exploration, we provide meaningful
engagement with the environment. Over the past five years, we’ve expanded
to include after-school and community programs, promoting belonging,
sustainability, and real-world academic skills. In addition, our Program
Network and Training oferings continue to grow and thrive. After adapting
through COVID, we’ve returned stronger with in-person training and a
refreshed curriculum.
EDIBLE SCHOOLYARD STOCKTON
COMMUNITY FARM
Since 2019, the Edible Schoolyard Project’s Community Farm in Stockton
has been a hub for food access, land stewardship, and hands-on learning.
Supporting San Joaquin County schools and residents, it ofers a free
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, community garden
plots, field trips, and events. With orchards, chickens, beehives, and
32 community plots, the farm connects students to food, nature, and
essential skills, fostering resilience and a thriving community.
ALICE WATERS INSTITUTE FOR REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE AND
EDIBLE EDUCATION (AWI)
Our newest initiative, the Alice Waters Institute for Edible Education and
Regenerative Agriculture is accelerating the transition to a regenerative
organic food system through School-Supported Agriculture. Through
thought leadership and advocacy, curriculum development and training,
and model programs on campus, the Institute is shaping policy, edibly
educating and training food service professionals, and demonstrating the
power of regenerative organic food systems as a climate solution.
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT:
Volunteer days are open to King families and community members of all ages and abilities.
These workdays are essential to the health of our garden.
Farm Festivals are a cornerstone of our work in Stockton. These seasonal, family-friendly
events happen four times throughout the year and enable us to serve over 2,000 attendees
with cooking demos, farm tours, produce giveaways, games, and more.
K-12 food service directors participate in creating a local seasonal organic school lunch at an
Alice Waters Institute regional culinary workshop in partnership with Conscious Kitchen.
PHOTO BY PAULINE CHATELAN
PHOTO COURTESY OF AWI
PHOTO BY DAN JUNG
educator also partnered with the special education department, enabling
students with IEPs and 504s to develop life skills by baking goods for the
school’s cofee cart.
EXPANDED VIRTUAL TRAINING:
In response to the pandemic, we introduced virtual training in 2020, and
since then the series has continued to grow. In July of 2023 we hosted seven
workshops on student engagement in garden and kitchen classrooms, all
recorded and accessible to audiences worldwide at edibleschoolyard.org.
IMPACTFUL IN-PERSON TRAINING:
In June of 2024, we welcomed 50 educators to our site in Berkeley, CA. ESYP
staf led workshops on connecting gardening and cooking experiences
to Common Core and NGSS standards, managing school garden spaces,
integrating games and play in edible education, and more. The event
included participant-led workshops and a screening of the documentary film
Farming While Black.
GLOBAL NETWORK IMPACT:
Between in-person and virtual training, we directly served over 800
educators, who in turn have a combined reach of over one million students
worldwide. Training participants hailed from 47 U.S. States and 35 countries.
Educators from across the country and around the globe gathered in June 2024 to exchange
ideas, find inspiration, and forge lasting connections.
Students prepare meals together in the Kitchen Classroom at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle
School in Berkeley, often cooking with produce harvested from the Teaching Garden or
repurposed surplus from the cafeteria.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
EDIBLE SCHOOLYARD BERKELEY
INTEGRATING GARDEN PRODUCE INTO THE KITCHEN CLASSROOM:
Our educators and garden manager deepened collaboration this year by
streamlining crop planning to align garden harvests with kitchen class
needs. This thoughtful coordination not only significantly reduced the need
for market purchases—it also ensured that student produce was featured
in every lesson. As a result, students experienced a more meaningful
connection to the food they prepared and shared, often bringing in their own
family food stories and learning from the traditions of their peers. These
shared experiences are helping build stronger, more connected classroom
communities rooted in culture, care, and nourishment.
EXPANDED LUNCHTIME & AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS:
We launched lunchtime harvest events and parent volunteer
coordination to boost garden access. Our after-school program now
runs four days a week with specialized courses in herbalism, junk food
alternatives, fiber arts, and food preservation. Partnering with the after-
school director, and the local library, we also introduced new community
events such as storytime in the garden and a guest chef series in the kitchen!
PILOT CURRICULUM FOR MULTILINGUAL & SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS:
One educator piloted lessons for multilingual learners, integrating English
acquisition and community building through food-related life skills. Our
This training gave me the tools and confidence to begin leading my
own class next month. I’m grateful to the team for creating such a
thoughtful and practical learning experience.
—Summer program attendee
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE EDIBLE SCHOOLYARD PROJECT
PHOTO BY JENNA SHEA MOBLEY
EDIBLE SCHOOLYARD PROJECT STOCKTON COMMUNITY FARM
EXPANDED PROGRAMS:
Our Stockton Community Farm doubled Community Supported
Agriculture (CSA) distribution to 102,000 lbs of fresh produce, serving
6,800 households. We hosted four farm festivals with more than 2,000
attendees and led 48 field trips for 2,250 students (Pre-K–12).
COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE:
The Edible Schoolyard Stockton Community Farm, in partnership with
San Joaquin County Ofce of Education, launched a Community of Practice
(CoP) to strengthen school garden-based learning. Our inaugural cohort
of 16 educators, spanning TK–12th grade, represents diverse schools and
programs. With administrative support, participants received stipends,
program funding, and Vitamix blenders to enhance mobile cooking
classrooms, ensuring lasting regional impact.
FARM INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES:
Recent improvements include hot water access, expanded storage, and a
refrigerated unit, thanks to a CDFA grant. These enhancements increase
efciency and enrich student and community experiences.
I truly appreciate the work you do. Because of the CSA, I’ve been
eating more fruits and vegetables—and I look forward to pick-up
every Wednesday.
—CSA Member
Our classroom garden is now thriving. With new tools and
supplies, greenhouse, shelving, grow bags, and a full class set of
gloves, we’re growing tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, flowers, and
herbs. It’s brought learning to life for my students.
—Community of Practice Educator
Our Community Farm in Stockton, CA is an inspiring space where students can build skills,
explore their relationship to food and food systems, and experience the interconnectedness
of all living things.
PHOTO BY PAULINE CHATELAN
PHOTO BY MITHY EVANS
REGIONAL FARM TO SCHOOL TRAINING WORKSHOPS:
AWI hosts regional workshops to provide the tools, connections, and
inspiration that school food professionals need to shift toward seasonal,
local, regenerative-organic food. These workshops, hosted at farms
and inspiring professional kitchens, bring together school food service
directors, local organic farmers, Farm to School coordinators, and values-
aligned food hubs to collaborate on seasonal menu planning, procurement
strategies, and solving supply chain challenges. With our partner
Conscious Kitchen, AWI completed 5 regional trainings with 40 small
local organic farmers and food service directors from 29 school districts
in Northern California. Based on this success, we applied for and received
a California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Farm to School
grant to expand the regional training program statewide.
LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PROCUREMENT PILOT:
AWI has been a lead technical assistance partner with Shared Plate Strategies
on LAUSD’s California Farm to School Incubator grant, which increases direct
purchasing of local seasonal produce from small local growers as well as
those using regenerative organic practices, demonstrating the feasibility of
school supported agriculture at scale. To date, the pilot has enabled LAUSD to
purchase over 500,000 pounds of locally grown produce from small to mid-
sized farmers, over 80% BIPOC and 59% of the produce was organic.
Student culinary staf in UC Merced’s dining centers got an up-close look at sustainable
techniques and were challenged to create locally sourced dishes as part of a workshop
presented by AWI in collaboration with UC Merced Executive Chefs.
ALICE WATERS INSTITUTE
EXPANDED PARTNERSHIPS WITH UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA:
AWI is working with the University of California Ofce of the President and
campus dining to increase organic regenerative food procurement within
the UC system. Our ultimate goal is to create an “all the way” local, seasonal
regenerative farm-to-university demonstration model on a UC campus to
inspire a deeper shift across the UC system. In addition, we are an advisor
for a new multi-campus 4-year research grant, the California Organic
Agroecological Regenerative Transition Project, which supports regional
change toward more socially and ecologically accountable agrifood systems
with the creation of a statewide policy roadmap.
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP AND CONVENINGS:
Building on Alice Waters’ pioneering commitment to edible education
and school supported agriculture, we collaborated with the First Partner
of California, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and the CDFA Ofce of Farm to
Fork to host a series of gatherings including Earth Day 2023 and 2024, the
CDFA bi-annual Farm to School conference, and Climate Week New York
to demonstrate how California is leading the way in farm to school and
regenerative agriculture.
Vine-ripened Valencia oranges at
Alba’s Oranges and Nursery in
Riverside, CA.
LAUSD Deputy Food Services Director Florence
Simpson meets with farmer Guillermo Landaverde,
founder of Alba’s Oranges and Nursery in Riverside,
CA, to discuss an upcoming Farm-to-School purchase.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ALICE WATERS INSTITUTE
SCHOOL
SUPPORTED
AGRICULTURE
A DELICIOUS, HOPEFUL CLIMATE SOLUTION
What if schools and universities purchased food in season and directly
from local, regenerative-organic farmers and ranchers who take care of
the land and their farm workers? Local school systems would become
reliable regional buyers who could support their local economies. In
turn, students would be nourished with the freshest local foods and the
essential values of stewardship would come right through the cafeteria
doors. Rural communities would be revitalized, and the urgent issues
of climate and students’ health would be addressed. The power of
procurement could transform agriculture, health, and climate overnight.
—Alice Waters
EDIBLE
EDUCATION
LEARNING BY DOING, ROOTED IN CARE
Edible education is a hands-on approach to learning that uses food—growing
it, preparing it, and sharing it—as a foundation for teaching academic
subjects and life skills. It connects students to the natural world, their
communities, and themselves through direct experiences in gardens,
kitchens, and cafeterias. By engaging the senses and encouraging active
participation, edible education fosters a deeper understanding of subjects
like science, history, and math, while also instilling values of nourishment,
stewardship, and community.
PHOTO BY PAULINE CHATELAN
THE EDIBLE SCHOOLYARD PROJECT STAFF
Jess Bloomer
Garden Manager
Linda Burch
CEO, Alice Waters Institute
Chris Cannon
Program Director
Edible Schoolyard Stockton
Esther Cook
Founding Chef Teacher
Griselda Cooney
Operations &
Development Coordinator
Carrie Cottini
Deputy Director Of Development
Yael Cypers
Procurement Director
Alice Waters Institute
Sophia Fox
Garden Educator
Jenny Garcia
Farm Educator
Imanuelle Jones
Kitchen Educator
Tonya Jowers
Farm Manager
Kathryn Keslosky
Director Of Development
Marilyn Lemus Gutierrez
FirstGen Intern
Alice Waters Institute
Nicole Muhammad
CSA Coordinator
Kylie Nguyen
FirstGen Intern
Alice Waters Institute
Julia Paige
Kitchen Educator
Jenna Quan
Program Manager
Edible Schoolyard Berkeley
Taís Reis
Community Programs Educator
Ashley Rouse
Executive Director
Edible Schoolyard Project
Jennifer Sherman
Culinary Director
Alice Waters Institute
Russell Sterten
Training & Network Manager
Kevin Torres
Farm Specialist
Jeremy Wegerer
Director Of Operations & Finance
Tamika Whitenack
Garden Educator
Megan Wirzberger
Farm Educator
WE ARE
GRATEFUL
Each year, we rely on the supporters, partners, staf, volunteers, and
leaders who help us grow our movement and deepen our commitment
to gardening, cooking, and eating together. Your support allows
us to expand our reach and make a meaningful impact in all of the
communities we serve. We are truly grateful for your incredible
generosity and support. Thank you for strengthening our shared
movement for edible education.
THE EDIBLE SCHOOLYARD PROJECT
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
James Alefantis
Jason Bade
Henrik Jones
Jim Kreissman
Craig McNamara
Fanny Singer
Neil Smith
Alice Waters
CALIFORNIA CLIMATE
ACTION CORPS FELLOWS
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*Inclusive of donors with gifts of $250 and above between 7/1/23 - 6/30/24