Seed Sowers & Storytellers
Building young readers and community leaders in Rochester's Beechwood neighborhood
Learning happens where life unfolds
Two days a week, scholars and Freedom Scholars staff walk together from School #33 dismissal through Rosewood Avenue to St. Mark's & St. John's Church. The neighborhood becomes their classroom—streets, gardens, and shared spaces transformed into places for reflection, storytelling, and discovery.
Read books that mirror their lives
Create stories through words and art
Plant seeds and tend the gardens
What scholars do
Stories that speak to who they are
Books that reflect their lives
Scholars choose stories rooted in their own experiences and identities
Words and art become their voice
Through discussion and creative work, scholars tell their own stories
Learning in the soil and sun
Gardens teach patience, care, and the rewards of tending something
Seeing themselves as capable
Scholars build confidence as readers, thinkers, and community members
Positive self-concept shapes everything
A child who sees themselves as capable becomes a reader, a thinker, a leader. Seed Sowers & Storytellers builds that belief from the ground up.
Built together
Strong partnerships keep this program rooted in community
Children's Defense Fund
Leading the vision and daily work with scholars
St. Mark's & St. John's Church
Providing space, gardens, and spiritual grounding
Iris Banister School #33
Supporting scholars' school success and community connection
Cornell Cooperative Extension 4-H
Bringing horticultural expertise and youth development knowledge
Their words
What scholars and families say
importance of reading. I especially appreciate the gardening, the way they engage with parents, and
family nights where we all connect. FSLC feels like an extended family, not just a program.”
social skills, and his community. Most importantly, I value the safe and nurturing environment where he is
supported daily.”
Want to support literacy, families, and community?
Get involved with Freedom Scholars Learning Center.
