Apply to the Plant Powered Youth Fellowship

Applicants must:

• Be between the ages of 14 and 22 as of August 14, 2026. For students who will be under 18 as of May 1, 2026, parental consent will be required.

• For high school graduates or college students only, you must have attended a K-12 school or currently attend college in California, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, or Washington. We are limiting high school graduate/college student eligibility to those in these states due to our ongoing policy advocacy campaigns. Current high school students may be from anywhere in the continental United States.

• Currently attend or have previously attended a school participating in the National School Lunch Program (nearly all public schools participate in this program, and many charter/private schools do).

• Be passionate about improving school lunch, in particular by expanding, improving, or marketing plant-based (vegan) options.

• Be available for our in-person advocacy trip to Washington D.C. July 18 - 22.

• Live in the continental United States. (Due to budget constraints, we cannot support travel for students outside the continental U.S.)

You do not need to be vegan, plant-based, or vegetarian to participate.

Fellows will be responsible for:

• Regularly attending two Zoom meetings per week, including one on Wednesdays at 7 PM ET

• Attending an in-person advocacy event in Washington D.C. on July 18 - 22

• For high school students: With the support of a project advisor, launching a campaign in your school district to add, expand, improve, or promote plant-based meal options. 

• For high school graduates: With support from an organization in the Plant Powered School Meals Coalition, supporting a state-level policy campaign to promote plant-forward K-12 menus. 

• Organizing other youth-led actions in support of plant-based school food, such as:

• Social media and traditional media campaigns

• Peer outreach and education

• Writing blogs

  Other actions that YOU decide!

• Application Opens: January 7, 2026

• Deadline: March 1, 2026

• Interviews: February 7, 2026 – April 16, 2026

• Notification of Acceptance: April 17, 2026

Program Dates: 

• For students who have already graduated from high school or will graduate by June 2026: April 29, 2026 – August 14, 2026

  • Minimum of 4 hours per week dedicated to the Plant Powered Youth Fellowship.

• For high school students: April 29, 2026 - May 1, 2027: 

  • From April 29, 2026 - August 14, 2026: Students will spend a minimum of 4 hours per week dedicated to the Plant-Powered Youth Fellowship

  • From September 2026 - May 1, 2027: Students will spend a minimum of 8 hours a month on their local school food campaigns, including monthly meetings with their cohort of peers and project advisor.

  • Additional compensation will be provided to high school students in grades 9-11 who continue the program for the full year.

• The opportunity to be part of the movement for plant-based school food and make a difference for students in your own school and around the country who want to see more climate-friendly, healthy school meals

• A $1,000 stipend over the course of the summer 

  • Additional support and compensation will be provided to high school students who will continue the program for the full year

• All-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. for an in-person advocacy event

• Mentorship from leading non-profit organizations 

• Learning sessions on:

  • Our food system

  • School food policy

  • Organizing and campaigning in your community

  • Policy advocacy at the school district, state, and federal levels

  • Community healing and self-care

• Professional development

• Letters of recommendation upon completion of the program

• Lasting connections with a network of peers and like-minded individuals