February 25, 2026

Apply Now for the 2026 Summer Training

This year we are celebrating 31 years of the Edible Schoolyard Project which was started by chef, restaurateur, and Montessori teacher Alice Waters at the request of the school’s principal, Neil Smith.

Applying the education of the senses to a kitchen and garden classroom allows students to learn their academic subjects with a newfound enthusiasm. It has succeeded around the world because it is not taking away time from the classroom, but, instead, students are learning deeply about the chemistry of decomposition through building a compost pile; the geography of Japan when they are rolling their own sushi; the effects of a changing climate on what is growing in the garden; and so much more.

In this technological world that we live in, Maria Montessori’s understanding of the senses to be the pathways into the mind is more important than ever. It is this philosophy that guides our work at the Edible Schoolyard every day, and that we are thrilled to share at the 2026 Summer Training.

We hope you will consider joining us this July for three days of exploring the many ways that an edible education deepens learning and connects students to food, nature, and each other. We are hopeful that you will find friends and inspiration from the group that attends; this is how we are going to build a global community of shared values.

Apply Here

Training Date and Location

The 2026 Summer Training program will be held from Wednesday, July 29 through Friday, July 31, 2026. All sessions will be at the Edible Schoolyard in Berkeley, CA - located on the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School campus.

Important Application Dates

Application period: February 26 – March 20, 2026
Applicants will receive an email by April 20 letting them know either that they are invited to the training or have been placed on a waitlist.

Training Cost

The cost per-person of the Summer Training is $700. Limited scholarships are available; details will be provided upon acceptance.

Who the Summer Training is For

We are designing the 2026 Summer Training to serve people who are in the early stages of building an edible education program. Our vision is that this event helps propel forward emerging programs and organizations, with the intention of growing the overall movement of garden and kitchen-based education.

Strong applications for the Summer Training will:

  • Include a team of at least two people (the maximum team size we can accept for the Summer Training is five people).
  • Currently conduct or plan to conduct programming at a public school campus.
  • Contribute to the overall diversity of the Summer Training cohort.
  • Clearly state the purpose of the program and the intended impact.
  • Have secured at least some administrative, funding, and community support or buy-in 
  • Demonstrate a deep understanding of and connection to the community the programming seeks to serve.
  • Provide specific goals for the program’s growth for the 2026-2027 school year.

Please note that applicants need not currently be conducting programming in order to be considered for the Summer Training.

Apply Here

Application Tips

We recommend dedicating 2–3 hours to complete the application.

Please note that you cannot save progress in the application form. You may want to view the application questions here, draft responses in a separate document, and then copy and paste your answers into the application form itself.

What to Expect at the Summer Training

The 2026 Summer Training will welcome approximately 100 participants who will all take part in a three-track learning pathway:

  • Garden Classroom: curriculum, student engagement practices, and school garden management systems.
  • Kitchen Classroom: curriculum, student engagement practices, and kitchen management systems.
  • Program Administration: organizational culture, staffing models, systems for tracking impact.

Additionally, the Summer Training will include panel discussions featuring leaders in education and farming; breakout sessions on specific gardening and cooking skills; and opportunities to network with and learn from fellow participants.

Get Support Now

There’s no need to wait to get support in growing your edible education program! Below is a list of resources and organizations that may be helpful to you.

Questions?

Please email us at training@edibleschoolyard.org for any questions regarding the Summer Training.