Farmwell Station Wins $10,000 Community Service Award

Fibers of Hope, a Farmwell Station Middle School learning project, received the $10,000 Grand Prize from the Lead4Change Challenge on August 23. Twice a year Lead4Change hosts the challenge whereby students document their story of growth and impact by submitting a project to the Challenge. Each project addresses a community need and encourages students to develop a creative solution to support that need.

Family and Consumer Sciences teacher Amy Ng and 50 of her students created Fibers of Hope with an action plan to prepare a day’s meals for the Loudoun Homeless Shelter. The project’s slogan was “Nourish the strength.” Students broke into groups to accomplish specific tasks, such as looking for recipes, choosing activities for shelter residents, and making an advertisement video. Students created and tasted recipes, deciding to prepare two pasta dishes, a lentil soup, biscuits, egg casseroles and Ng’s “magic bar” recipe. Students also gathered paper products, toys, and pillows to donate to the shelter. 

On February 22, the students packed several cars full of food and supplies and brought them to the shelter in Leesburg. After unloading and storing the supplies, they shared a meal with residents. The event fed 70 people at the Loudoun Homeless Shelter and restocked their deep freezer with frozen food. The students also decorated bulletin boards with messages of hope and encouragement.  

The $10,000 prize will help Farmwell Station continue the program. “I'm looking forward to another great year,” said Ng. “I hope to continue our work with the Loudoun Homeless Shelter to help change lives.”

The Lead4Change Student Leadership Program is a leadership curriculum with a framework for community service. Since 2012, more than 2 million students have been through the Lead4Change program.

Published September 11, 2023