S.T.A.R.T.S. Youth Summer Employment Program Gets Under Way
Posted 07/17/2011 in Announcements, Food, and Community.
As teenagers across the city search for working opportunities during the summer slow down, nine lucky youth from Seattle are experiencing the "green jobs" opportunity of their lifetime.
Over the spring, Cortona Cafe owner Jason Davison had a vision for a youth employment program based in the Central District that would allow for young people that are disenfranchised to learn about gardening, healthy foods, and how they can become a part of the green movement. The summer program Jason had in mind is called S.T.A.R.T.S. (Students Taking Agriculture 'Round The Streets) and as of two weeks ago, it officially came into fruition.
Along with a variety of key neighborhood youth workers, there are currently nine students that are a part of the program and they're doing everything from composting and working on farms to discovering healthy food options in the neighborhood and working on a potential dish to be displayed at Cortona Cafe. There are guests chefs involved, lot's of opportunities for learning, and best of all, the youth get paid to complete the program. S.T.A.R.T.S. has managed to partner with organizations like Ground Up Yesler, Community Kitchens NW, Rotary Boys and Girls Club, Metropolitan Sickle Cell Task Force, Green Plate Special, Alley Cat Acres plus the Clean Greens and Red Barn farms to keep the teenagers' fingers in the soil and they're making nutritious meals each week out of the kitchen at Immaculate Conception. There will be more updates coming on the program as the summer continues.
