This year, third graders at Chautauqua Elementary School are taking on a big issue with curiosity, compassion, and courage. Students in Margie Butcher’s class have chosen to focus their yearlong Action Network project on learning about—and helping address—food insecurity in our community.

Action Network is the third grade social activism curriculum, designed to help students understand local and global issues, hear directly from community leaders, and ultimately take meaningful action. Throughout the fall and winter, students research their chosen topic, and in the spring they design and carry out a project aimed at making a real difference.

As part of this work, the class will host an ambitious lineup of speakers during the 2026 Action Network Speaker Series, welcoming experts from local nonprofits, advocacy organizations, and government. Over the course of one month, students will explore food insecurity from multiple perspectives—history, agriculture, policy, myths and realities, and the power of community solutions.

2026 Action Network Speaker Series: Food Insecurity

• January 8, 2026
  Growing Our Own Food
  Karen Biondo, Tim Heuer, and Lisa Hasselman
  Vashon Island Growers Association (VIGA)

• January 15, 2026
  Myths and Realities About Hunger
  Prenz Sa-Ngoun, Food Lifeline

• January 21, 2026
  A Look Back: Hunger in History
  Carmen Smith, White Center Food Bank

• January 27, 2026
  The Power of Community
  Erica Walker Garcia, Poverty Action Network

• January 28, 2026
  Who Helps and How: Local and Global Solutions
  Teresa Mosqueda, King County Council

• January 29, 2026
  Why Does Food Insecurity Happen Today?
  Natasha Dworkin, Northwest Harvest

• February 2, 2026
  Kids Can Make a Difference!
  Anita Waghani, Tilth Alliance

• February 4, 2026
  Food Security: Global and Local
  Emily Scott, Vashon Maury Community Food Bank

Through these conversations, students will deepen their understanding of hunger and food access while learning that even young people can be powerful agents of change. The speaker series will inform a student-designed action project launching later this spring.

“This work helps students see themselves as part of their community and understand that their voices and actions matter,” said teacher Margie Butcher. “They are learning that big problems can be met with empathy, collaboration, and hope.”