Hello, You are receiving this form because you have been asked to write a reference for this young person’s application to the Rooted at Carnation Farms summer program. Thank you for taking the time to offer your perspective, your feedback is incredibly valuable to us as we consider their application. We’ll give you a rundown of the program first and then follow up with a few questions. Please answer all questions fully and honestly. Your responses are completely confidential. Your letter will play an important role in this young person’s application. Please write a strong letter of support that speaks to your belief in this youth’s potential to both benefit from and contribute to Rooted at Carnation Farms. We also encourage you to check in with this young person throughout the summer, should they be accepted. Please contact us if you have any questions!

Through the Rooted at Carnation Farms program, we cultivate a thoughtful and productive community of youth who work together to build a sustainable food system with guidance from our team of adult leaders. Together, we produce healthy food, accessible to all; provide youth leadership opportunities; and inspire and support others to create change in their own communities. Young people work as a team to serve others, learn farming, cooking, and business skills, experience nature, explore issues of hunger and community, challenge themselves, and have fun!

We hire 10 youth currently in 9-11 grade. We hire youth from local communities surrounding Carnation Farms in the Snoqualmie Valley, as well as the Greater Seattle area. Youth are paid employees of the farm, and receive a paycheck every other week.

Rooted is on a mission to educate and empower local youth to lead food systems change in the future. We do that through meaningful hands-on farm work in our 15-acre organic farm, through educational workshops on leadership development and food systems topics, and through working at a local hunger relief organization. Our goal is to provide impactful, first-hand experiences with the food system so the youth can go on to create change in their communities- whether that’s in their own family unit, or on a larger scale. Venturing through this program as a group allows youth to learn from each other and develop life-long bonds that last well beyond the summer.

Work 30 hours/week for seven weeks: July 5- August 19, 2022. Program members learn to sustainably grow produce and care for farm animals on our certified organic farm, through daily work in our farm fields alongside professional farmers and educators. Rooted Crew members also take part in daily educational workshops exploring the food system as well as service learning projects and job training.

Your letter will play an important role in this young person’s application. Please write a strong letter of support that speaks to your belief in this youth’s potential to both benefit from and contribute to Rooted at Carnation Farms. We also encourage you to check in with this young person throughout the summer, should they be accepted. Please contact us if you have any questions!

Thank you!