Not Throwing Away My Shot - Lane

My name is Lane. I am a rising senior at Staunton High School. This is my first year at Project GROWS as a Youth Leader in Agriculture (YLA) member for the 2026 season.

I had heard of Project Grows many times but never really knew much about their true purpose. After I learned about the YLA program through my school's weekly newsletter, I decided to try something new, and I'm so glad I did.

When I first arrived, I was very nervous. I knew next to nothing about farming or about Project GROWS. I did not think that this job would work out or that I would be able to work on the farm. However, with the help of the wonderful staff at Project GROWS, including the YLA manager Evan, the Farm Manager Austin, and the YLA Intern Alissa, I became much more knowledgeable at the farm. I learned many things about farm work, plant health, agricultural techniques, and other agriculture concepts through constant planting, weeding, and bed prepping.

What was even more important to me, though, was my new knowledge of community and partnership. Throughout this job I met many great people and was able to create a bond with them. I was able to understand what it is like to work as a team through the toughest conditions. Through the heat, storms, and constant weeding, our community of YLA members grew into a family that I would spend time with over the course of the summer.

I also learned more about the community of the Valley with the help of the Project GROWS community outreach programs. They helped me to understand the problems in the community but also to understand how to solve those problems. I learned so much about how food is grown and processed and given to the public and how destructive big agriculture practices such as pesticides can be to both nature and the food we consume.

The biggest outreach program I learned about was the Mobile Market, which drives around the Valley to help give fresh, affordable, and clean produce, as opposed to the produce seen in most supermarkets, to those in need.

After helping with the market for some time, it began to be something that I really cherished. It was one thing to grow these plants and work to grow them, but to see them grow and then be sold to help the community was a feeling of joy unlike anything I could have imagined. This job truly helped me to realize the importance of a strong community, both big and small, and how, despite challenges, the reward is always greater than the labor. The knowledge I gained from this experience has absolutely made a difference in my thoughts about the world and nature.

I came into the program as someone who did not know anything. However, if I had not taken the risk, then I would not have the great experiences and knowledge that I do now. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as a YLA member, and I hope to be back to have more experiences and help form new communities.