Jones Valley Teaching Farm expands high school program

In 2015, Jones Valley Teaching Farm opened an urban farm at Woodlawn High School where students can learn hands-on about food, the environment and business, while helping provide fresh produce for area residents.

JVTF also offers a paid internship program — funded by PNC Bank — for Woodlawn juniors and seniors. This spring, JVTF received funding to expand its Farm Fellows Apprenticeship Program for WHS graduates, which began in 2018 with two apprentices.

JVTF has hired three new apprentices to expand the organization’s Good School Food teaching program at its downtown facility and seven Birmingham City Schools, according to JVTF executive director Amanda Storey. The city of Birmingham contributed $82,000 in workforce development funding to the program. The organization also received a grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, according to Storey. 

The nonprofit has hired an apprenticeship coordinator to help connect apprentices and interns with opportunities for personal development, such as financial literacy, Storey said.

“The coordinator will connect outside services across the board to the young folks who are working with us,” Storey said.

Jerone Wiggins, JVTF director of educational programs and partnerships, said JVTF will open a permanent farm stand at the school in early May.