When you visit the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, you are often greeted by the familiar faces of your favorite farmers and vendors. But they wouldn’t be able to show up and bring their fresh food to you without dedicated market workers. Local high school students are now stepping up to fill some of those important job roles at the farmers market.
Following her participation inCUESA’s Foodwise Teens program, Luzaneth Garcia-Kegel is one of several students who landed a part-time job at the farmers market last fall. A senior at the Academy - San Francisco @ McAteer, Luzaneth now works for Oya Organics on Saturdays. “I usually get there around 7:30, help unload the vegetables, set up the tent, and fix up the tables by putting on the tablecloth,” she says. “I help arrange the vegetables at the front, and then I end up cashiering for the rest of the day. After the day is over, we pack up everything and load it up.”
As skilled workers who value sustainability and food justice, these young people are putting their Foodwise Teens skills to use and building their resume, while contributing to a thriving local food community.