🌱 Storytelling Narrative: A Student’s Journey Through Cultivate Academy Hawk Center

When a student walks through the doors of the Cultivate Academy Hawk Center, they are not simply entering a building—they are stepping into a living ecosystem of growth, learning, and leadership.

The First Impression: Belonging

The entrance opens to a bright reception area, where every child is greeted by name. Just behind it, the oversized vestibule soars upward, its open view to the loft symbolizing possibility and vision. This is the heartbeat of the academy—a space that whispers, “You belong here, and your future is wide open.”

The Left Wing: Literacy and Reflection

To the left, the small conference room is where student leaders gather with mentors, practicing their voices in decision-making. Beyond that, the restrooms with showers remind students that their well-being matters here, body as well as mind. At the corner, the library welcomes them into a world of imagination—rows of books tied to agriculture, culture, and leadership. Next to it, a flex teaching space doubles as a workshop where students present poetry from Kids R.E.A.D., design literacy fairs, or hold small leadership huddles.

The Right Wing: Creation and Enterprise

To the right, the art and programs space bursts with color. Here, students sketch farm layouts, create posters for market days, and learn to express themselves through visual storytelling. The executive office nearby is intentionally placed—students see leadership not as something hidden, but as part of their daily life. The teaching office space and storage closet connect directly to the garage storage, where sliding bay doors welcome deliveries of soil, trays, and seeds for the ever-expanding microgreen operations. The hum of community activity continues with the walk-in cooler, holding trays of sunflower microgreens grown by students, ready to be shared with families, restaurants, and markets.

The Culinary Heart: Growing into Wellness

The commercial kitchen stretches across the furthest right corner, a true classroom of wellness. Along one wall, large oven ranges and stovetops stand ready. At the four cooking islands, students practice turning harvested microgreens into fresh salads, smoothies, and creative dishes. Their hands stir, chop, and sauté, guided by facilitators and guest chefs, while the three-part sink teaches discipline in cleanliness and care. Next to the kitchen, the dining area fills with laughter and fellowship—students, parents, and visitors gather to taste the fruits of learning, breaking bread together in a culture of wellness.

The Second Floor: Vision and Leadership

Climbing the stairs or taking the elevator, students arrive at the loft, overlooking the vestibule where they first entered. Here, flexible seating encourages collaboration, quiet study, or peer-led discussions.

The large conference room hosts community forums and youth board meetings, where student voices shape school culture. The Director’s office at the far corner is not off-limits; students often step in to update, share reflections, or receive encouragement.

Down the hallway, the Kids R.E.A.D./Study Area overflows with children and mentors reading together, nurturing literacy and confidence. Adjacent lies the large library, a resource hub for agricultural research, state studies, and leadership biographies.

In another hallway, the computer lab hums with innovation—students design business logos, build digital presentations, or create videos to document their farming, cooking, and leadership journey. The offices nearby allow facilitators to guide while leaving room for youth ownership of learning.

The Whole Picture: A Student’s Transformation

Every corner of the Hawk Center is alive with the same mission: to grow students who are literate, confident leaders, rooted in wellness, and ready to serve their community. From harvesting sunflower microgreens to presenting a speech in the conference room, from reading aloud in Kids R.E.A.D. to cooking side-by-side with peers in the kitchen, a student’s journey here is immersive, empowering, and holistic.

The building is not just walls and rooms. It is a living story—a place where seeds of purpose are planted and cultivated into a harvest of leadership, literacy, and wellness.