November 9, 2026 | Education
The Week That Changed the Summer
Growing Confidence, Building Tomorrow’s Leaders
What does it take to turn a student into a leader? At Matthew 25, we learned this summer that sometimes, all it takes is a little extra time, the right tools, and the opportunity to lead.
This summer, our Youth Development Program introduced something new: Leadership Week, four days dedicated to preparing returning students to take on a bigger role as Root Crew leaders at the Cultivate Hope Urban Farm.
Since 2017, the Youth Development Program has helped young people develop valuable job skills, build confidence, and learn through hands-on experiences. Returning students often become natural leaders because they already know the farm and the work involved. But knowing how to plant, harvest, or safely use a tool is one thing. Teaching someone else how to do it is another.
That’s where Leadership Week came in.
Learning What It Means to Lead
Before the rest of the students arrived for the summer, Root Crew leaders spent four days working alongside summer interns and dedicated volunteers.
They explored different leadership styles, practiced team-building activities, and learned how to give constructive feedback and resolve conflicts in healthy ways. They also helped establish expectations for the summer, including the group’s cell phone policy.
Their preparation included farm and food safety training, along with hands-on experience supporting Groundswell Cafe, from food preparation to making pizzas for the Cultivate Community Markets.
The goal wasn’t simply to prepare students to do the work. It was to give them the confidence and skills to help others succeed.
Putting Leadership into Action
When the full summer program began, Root Crew leaders were ready.
Each leader took responsibility for a team of two or three student employees, helping choose daily tasks, guide their teammates, and make sure the work was completed correctly.
Together, students harvested produce, prepared CSA shares, planted and weeded crops, worked at Groundswell Cafe, attended workshops, and visited farms and organizations throughout the area.
As the summer progressed, something exciting happened. Root Crew leaders began taking greater ownership of their teams. They offered feedback on crew assignments and helped identify changes that would make their teams more successful.
They weren’t just following directions anymore. They were helping shape how the program worked.
Growing More Than Leadership Skills
Perhaps one of the most meaningful outcomes of Leadership Week was something staff hadn’t fully anticipated: the relationships that formed.
One Root Crew leader shared:
“I loved getting to know the summer interns so well. We really connected that first week, which led to an amazing summer leading all the students.”
Those early connections made a difference throughout the summer. Students, interns, and volunteers started the season not only better prepared for the work ahead, but also with a stronger sense of teamwork and trust.
And that is what makes programs like this so valuable.
Read more from our autumn 2026 newsletter