Comunidad en Accion, Building Connections Through Food and Art
- School Year: 2025-2026
- Applicants: Dana Martin
- School: Conard High School
- Subjects: World Language
Students in 11th and 12th grade Spanish classes at Conard High School will connect classroom learning to real-world impact through a school-wide food drive and a field trip to Hands on Hartford, Gather55, and Parkville Market. This project integrates the UN Sustainable Development Goals (specifically Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) into hands-on experiences that explore how food and art can foster community and social change. Students will lead a food drive benefiting Hands on Hartford's food pantry, volunteer alongside staff, and tour the organization's facilities to learn how it combats food insecurity and supports local families through various programs and services. They will also enjoy a community-centered meal at Gather55, a restaurant that welcomes all regardless of ability to pay, and reflect on the power of food to connect people. The day concludes with a visit to Parkville Market, where students will examine local murals and street art as expressions of cultural identity and activism. These experiences will inspire students' final projects (designing a hypothetical restaurant or mural that promotes positive social change in West Hartford) blending language learning, creativity, and civic engagement. By merging service, culture, and language, this innovative program exemplifies how education can build empathy, strengthen community ties, and empower students to make a difference locally and globally.