The Student Leadership
Conference

The Student Leadership
Conference

The Student Leadership Conference is an annual event that brings student leaders together to learn, connect, and lead.
It gives young people space to share ideas and shape the future of food justice. Students from every TFFJ farm come together to learn from one another, exchange ideas, and take action.
This is youth power at work.

Many thanks to the 2026 SLC supporters, sponsors, and volunteers:

TFFJ Board Members

Bridget Alameda

Brooke Brenner

Chana Chenfeld

lan W. Forster

Jennifer Siegel

Katherine Soll

Meghan Groome

Randolph Stern

Raymie Fernandez

Susan Jacobs Lobel

Sushma Dwivedi Jindal

Tara Smith Swibel

Tracy Weldon

Valerie Soll

Workshop Leaders & Speakers

Lee Keylock, Vice President of Global Impact
Narrative 4

George Edwards, Chef
New York City Public Schools, Office of Food and Nutrition Services

Barry Rothstein, Maya Rose Kutz & Imani Ukweli Dailey
Cornell University Cooperative Extension NYC, HAASTEP

Shalom Haileselassie
Researcher, Artist, Youth Educator, Ethnographer

Iman A.
DeWitt Clinton High School Student, Artist, Advocate

LaToya Meaders, CEO & Co-Founder
Collective Fare

Rich Okamoto
Chef

Chef Corey
Cooking with Corey

Francis Yu
Community Food Advocates

Wascar S.
TFFJ Alum, Hunter College

Ambreal K.
TFFJ Alumna, Hunter College

A Day of Learning and Leadership

Students move through workshops, discussions, and hands-on activities led by TFFJ staff, partners, and youth leaders. They explore hydroponics, nutrition, advocacy, and community action. They present their own projects, learn from peers across other schools, and take part in activities that connect science, culture, and leadership.

Inside the Conference

Project Building and Sharing

Students at each TFFJ farm spend the year working on a project. They meet students from other farms, bring their projects to the Student Leadership Conference, and take part in a project fair where they share their work.

Workshops

Students move through sessions led by TFFJ staff, partners, and youth leaders. They explore hydroponics, nutrition, advocacy, and community action.

 

Mentoring

Students hear from industry experts, authors, and community leaders who share stories, skills, and pathways connected to food, science, and justice.

Highlights from past
Student Leadership Conferences

Blog Posts

2026 T-Shirt Design Contest Guidelines: Roots of Power

Teens for Food Justice (TFFJ) invites all students from campuses with TFFJ farms to create a design for the official T-shirt for this year’s Student Leadership Conference (SLC). Your design could appear on the official T-shirt, event signage, and other conference swag at one of TFFJ’s biggest events of the year.

Read More »

From Seeds to Solutions: Celebrating Our 2025 Student Leadership Conference

On May 30, 2025, more than 100 students from 14 schools across New York City gathered at Teach for America for Teens for Food Justice’s annual Student Leadership Conference (SLC). This year’s theme—From Seeds to Solutions—celebrated the full journey of student impact, from growing food in school-based hydroponic farms to advocating for a more just and nourishing future.

Read More »

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