Application Guide

How to Apply for Plant Powered Youth Fellowship

at Plant Powered School Meals Coalition

🏢 About Plant Powered School Meals Coalition

The Plant Powered School Meals Coalition is unique as a collaborative advocacy group led by Chilis on Wheels and Friends of the Earth, specifically targeting K-12 school lunch reform through grassroots movement building and policy change. This organization offers the rare opportunity to work at the intersection of youth activism, food justice, and environmental advocacy with established nonprofit partners. You'd be joining a mission-driven coalition that empowers young people to directly influence institutional food systems toward more sustainable, plant-based options.

About This Role

This fellowship involves launching either a local school district campaign (for high school students) or supporting a state-level policy initiative (for graduates), while organizing youth-led actions like social media campaigns and peer outreach. It's impactful because you'll directly contribute to shifting school lunch menus toward climate-friendly foods through hands-on advocacy and coalition building. The role includes weekly Zoom meetings and culminates in an in-person advocacy event in Washington D.C., providing real-world policy experience.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve morning research on your state's school nutrition policies, afternoon coordination with your project advisor via email or brief call about campaign strategy, and evening work on social media content promoting plant-based school meals. During meeting weeks, you'd participate in Wednesday evening Zoom sessions with the coalition, and campaign phases would include organizing peer outreach events or drafting blog posts about your advocacy work.

🚀 Application Tools

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Interview Prep

Practice questions for this role

🎯 Who Plant Powered School Meals Coalition Is Looking For

  • Aged 14-22 with personal experience in the National School Lunch Program, giving them firsthand understanding of school meal systems
  • Currently or previously enrolled in K-12 schools in California, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, or Washington (for graduates/college students)
  • Demonstrable passion for plant-based food advocacy with specific ideas for improving school lunch options
  • Self-motivated youth organizer comfortable with both digital campaigns (social media, blogging) and in-person advocacy events

📝 Tips for Applying to Plant Powered School Meals Coalition

1

Explicitly mention your experience with the National School Lunch Program and which state you attended school in (if applicable to requirements)

2

Describe a specific plant-based school meal improvement you'd advocate for, such as 'adding vegan entrée options on Mondays' or 'improving vegetable preparation methods'

3

Highlight any youth organizing experience, even informal (like starting a school club or social media campaign about food issues)

4

Note your availability for the July 18-22 Washington D.C. event and Wednesday 7 PM ET meetings in your application

5

Reference specific Plant Powered School Meals Coalition partners (like Chilis on Wheels or Friends of the Earth) and their work you admire

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your personal connection to school lunch programs and why plant-based options matter to you specifically', "Clear statement of whether you'd pursue a school district campaign (if in high school) or state policy support (if graduate), with initial ideas", 'Examples of youth leadership or organizing experience, even outside food advocacy', 'How your background in one of the target states (CA, MA, MN, NY, WA) informs your understanding of local school food systems']

Generate Cover Letter →

🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Current school lunch policies in your state (CA, MA, MN, NY, or WA if applicable) regarding plant-based options
  • → Specific campaigns by Chilis on Wheels and Friends of the Earth related to school meals
  • → The National School Lunch Program guidelines and recent changes affecting plant-based options
  • → Existing Plant Powered School Meals Coalition initiatives or past fellowship projects
Visit Plant Powered School Meals Coalition's Website →

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Describe a plant-based school meal campaign you'd launch in your district or how you'd support your state's policy efforts
2 How would you engage peers who are skeptical about plant-based foods in school lunches?
3 What experience do you have with coalition building or working with diverse stakeholders?
4 How would you measure the success of your youth-led actions (social media, outreach, etc.)?
5 What challenges do you anticipate in advocating for menu changes in K-12 schools, and how would you address them?
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Generic statements about 'loving animals' or 'environmental concern' without connecting to specific school lunch policy changes
  • Failing to address the specific age, location, or National School Lunch Program requirements in your application
  • Proposing unrealistic campaign ideas without acknowledging school district constraints or budget limitations

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Plant Powered School Meals Coalition!

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