YFS Alumni Spotlight | Nicole Majewski
When Nicole Majewski joined Feeding Minds in November 2024, she was looking for an opportunity to do something meaningful with her love of creative writing.
“I initially wanted to join YFS because I loved creative writing, and I hadn’t found many opportunities to use my passion to contribute to my community.” she recalls.
Feeding Minds, a youth-led media initiative of Youth in Food Systems (YFS), gave her a chance to explore that passion while raising awareness about environmental issues.
Nicole started as a writer and editor before eventually taking on graphic design as well. Since joining, she has written 18 blog articles covering a wide range of topics.
“I’ve since written 18 articles for the Blog on everything from my favourite dessert recipes to new technology in agriculture.”
But beyond the articles themselves, Nicole was developing skills that would become valuable in an entirely different setting.
Learning to Curate Food For Thought
One of the most valuable skills Nicole developed through Feeding Minds was learning how to write for different audiences. Some of her articles explored scientific topics, which meant finding ways to explain complex information to readers who might not have a background in science.
“I had to learn how to condense complex ideas into more accessible language,” she explains.
Today, Nicole uses that same skill in her work as a student researcher.
“This is exactly what I now do in my work as a student researcher; a huge part of scientific communication is avoiding jargon (scientific terms that people unfamiliar with that scientific field might not know) when explaining your ideas, either verbally or in a written paper.”
Nicole has even found herself reflecting on her earlier Feeding Minds articles while working on her research.
“I think back to the articles that I wrote in the summer of 2025, and I realise what great preparation that was for my second research project (on the biology of brain cancer).”
YFS gave her the opportunity to write in an entirely new medium for an entirely new reason. Rather than writing prose about nature, she was advocating for it. Along the way, she developed skills that would later help her communicate complex scientific ideas in her research.
There’s a Place for Everyone in YFS
When asked what she would say to another young person considering joining YFS, Nicole’s message was simple:
“No matter what you’re interested in, you can contribute to YFS!“
She points to the wide range of topics youth have explored through Feeding Minds:
“When I first started looking for writing opportunities, I was pretty dead set on something related to medicine. I found YFS, and I didn’t know if I’d be a good fit; of course, I cared about climate change, but I was a little worried that I might know less about it than, say, another high schooler dead set on pursuing environmental science. Once I had read through a few articles, though, I realised that the YFS community covers so much more than that, from sustainability to ecology, cooking, baking and just about anything else you can think of. That was really encouraging to me.”
As Nicole fell into the rhythm of writing Blog articles, she realised something else:
“Editing other articles helped me write my own, too. I’d start by sifting through a peers’ article looking for grammatical errors, but I’d end up learning a lot about their topic, (whether it was the benefits of farmers markets or of eating certain seasonal foods!). I’d always end up really glad that I had read that article, not in spite of it being on a topic that I ordinarily wouldn’t have read about, but because of that.”
And she wants young people to know that writing isn’t the only way to get involved.
“Even if you don’t feel like you have a lot to say, you can still help! You can use your talents in art to make cover designs for articles, or in editing to give helpful feedback to article writers, or gardening to suggest some article topics about good techniques.”
For Nicole, Feeding Minds created an opportunity to explore her interests, contribute to her community, and develop skills she continues to use today.
Beyond the Garden
Nicole’s story shows how the experiences young people gain through YFS can stay with them as they pursue new interests and opportunities. From writing articles about food and the environment to communicating scientific research, she has continued to build on the skills she developed through Feeding Minds.
And her journey is a reminder that sometimes, an opportunity to explore something you love can lead to growth in ways you didn’t initially expect. A million thanks, Nicole, for sharing your story and for all you’ve contributed to the Feeding Minds Media Team!
Beyond the Garden is a YFS Alumni Stories series celebrating the experiences, growth, and journeys of young people who have participated in Youth in Food Systems.
Are you a former YFS participant? We’d love to hear your story! Share your experience through YFS Alumni Stories form.