Understanding farm to table foods while making a difference

Palash Gupta, a 7th grader at Quest Academy in Palatine has embarked on an ambitious venture to raise funds for charity. He thought about how he could get youth involved in learning about important issues that affect our environment, the humane treatment of animals that provide food and help other unfortunate youth who have no access to education.
Palash systematically set up a social entrepreneurial company he called, "Warrior in Training" with the purpose of raising funds for charity. Palash is also a chess student at the non profit, Chess Without Borders, that provides opportunities to students to build projects under the umbrella of the non profit. Palash then approached his mentor Zein Bertacchi to help supervise his project. Zein has a chicken farm at her residence where she raises about 15- 20 chickens. The first batch of chickens were hatched by 10 year old Braydon McMillian because he became fascinated by the science and natural process of hatching eggs that magically transform into chicks that lay eggs that are enjoyed by all. Braden's idea was infectious as he inspired a stream of other children to follow him to hatch their own eggs. This hen house became an incubator of ideas and creativity. Soon children like Amaya, Sienna, Elise Sulkin, Rachel Zwang, Reagen and Reece McMillen, Max and Coby Gregory and Sen Oza were enchanted by their own hatched chicks. The investment of labor and time in taking care of the chickens, finding the best food for them and cleaning up after them developed a strong bond between the hens and the children who ate the eggs they laid. Youth are curious and delight in getting to know the hens whose eggs they collect and eat.

Palash's objective is to raise funds for a charity that brings education to children of agricultural workers who toil in the fields usually with their children in toe as they have nowhere to leave them. This Peter Wulf School was started 4 years ago by Chess Without Borders in collaboration with the nonprofit Project Why in India.

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At Chess Without Borders youth participate in service learning through becoming deeply involved with solving problems affecting humanity. Some address these problems by forming their own social entrepreneurial companies where they raise funds for their featured charity. On this journey they discover their own potential as they learn to market, publicize and educate others about their work. 12 year-old Palash Gupta has honed his technology skills to create posters and market his ideas. He will speak to small groups of children who will visit Zein's hen house this Sat from 12 to 1 pm. In order to teach others Palash had to learn about how to take care of chickens and the importance of caring for the animals that provide food.

Zein Bertacchi, his mentor has generously donated her time to educate children about the loving care that animals need and every child who visits the hens at her chicken farm comes away enchanted by the behavior of the hens and their curiosity towards their little visitors. The visitors in turn take away the generosity of the hens whose eggs they take home to eat. As 3 and 1/2 year old Coby Gregory asked Zein, "Are the hens giving the eggs to us"?

Please visit Zein's Hen House at noon on Sat Dec 11th at 130 County line Road, Barrington Hills. There is a $10 charge for the visit and lessons that will be donated to charity.