August 21, 2026 | Education
Summer Stories: Youth Development Program, Week 8
Our Youth Development students wrapped up the season with growth, grit, and a true sense of community
The Youth Development Program is a paid opportunity for high-school-age students to develop and hone various skills in preparation for life beyond the classroom. The summer session is called the Seed Crew, and is 8 weeks of working, learning, and connecting as a team.
The final week arrived, and everyone was shocked at how fast the summer had flown by. We started the week with final preparations for their year-end presentations. Groups finalized their talking points and posters and did practice runs. The group that was focusing on the work we did with Groundswell showed off their skills by using basil and garlic from the farm to make pesto. They ended up serving it as part of their presentation alongside their focaccia bread they made with our baking volunteer, Dick. As groups wrapped up their preparation, they shifted into farm work. We ended the day with a season wrap-up survey to see what areas students felt showed the most growth.
Tuesday was the big day! We spent the morning doing final preparations and farm work. Rain showed up mid-morning unexpectedly, so we pushed back the start a bit. Once the rain cleared and we dried off our tables, our guests arrived. The crews did a wonderful job detailing what they were up to all season and answered many great questions. We wrapped up with food prepared by the students and the big reveal of the mural one group had created. 
Wednesday was our last typical farm day. We harvested and weeded for most of the day. The students showed a lot of grit finishing the season strong. After lunch we participated in a farming focus group. Students had a chance to share their experiences in farming and their perceptions of it in Iowa. They also brainstormed ideas to support future farmers.
Thursday was a beautiful end to the season. We did a few final farm tasks, enjoyed a potluck lunch, and played Urban Farm Olympics for the remainder of the day. It was highly competitive between the two teams, but ultimately Intern Kylie’s team beat out Intern Kaden’s team for top honors. We said our goodbyes to our crew members who would be aging out of the program and collected Root Crew applications for the fall/spring. It was a fun end to a summer that had us challenged by weather, hard work on the farm, and getting out of our comfort zones.