FOOD DESERTS vs. FOOD SWAMPS: Nearly 2.3 million people in the US are living in a food desert and/or food swamp. This class seeks to explore tough issues of race, class and socioeconomic and health disparities, to include Who?What?when?Where?Why? How food deserts, food swamps, and food insecurity contributes to health disparities. Students will be involved in hands-on activities to create a model of their school or home in relation to a FD/FS, write to their local elected officials to advocate for resources to combat deserts, swamps, and insecurities, research career opportunities, learn about germination and its role in reducing FI. Finally, students will interact with a modern farmer (in person or via Zoom) to discuss ideas to reduce the pandemic of food insecurity that can negatively impact the health of its citizens. By the end of the class, the Food Ambassadors will have fun, be challenged to engage deeply, and serve as representatives in their sphere of influence in the social war against FD/FS and FI.

Students In This Class Will:

• Learn how to articulate the complexities of food scarcity, food deserts and food swamps
• Explore the socioeconomic challenges and health disparities impacting affected communities
• Become detectives, searching for and reviewing quantitative and qualitative data to support their observations
• Find out about career opportunities, education requirements, and the job outlook in the next 20 years for agriculture related fields
• Have fun, be challenged and engage deeply

LUNCH: Students staying for full day or for both morning and afternoon sessions can bring or buy their lunch.  All students will eat lunch on Campus in The Commons, a small food court.

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Course Resources
Waiver - Photo and Video (PDF) 2023 (PDF Document)
Waiver - Release of Liability (PDF) 2023 (PDF Document)
Waiver - Release of Liability 18 and Over (PDF) 2023 (PDF Document)

This course contains no sessions
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