Food Entrepreneurship Teacher Releases Six-Book Series on Civic Education and Food Systems

Middle School Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (CEL) teacher and author Julie Knutson has just added not one but six more books to her resume with her new series, Civic Eats: 21st Century Civic Education in Action. Co-researched and authored with former SCH teacher Paris Gramann, the series was released on August 1.

Written during what Knutson called a “labor-of-love sprint” between January and March of 2026, the project grew directly out of her work with her 6th-grade students and their hands-on Food Entrepreneurship curriculum. The series explores critical themes at the intersection of civic engagement and food systems, featuring individual volumes such as:

• Who decides what we eat at school?
• How can kids shape the future of food?
• How does food affect the climate?
• Who has food?

The SCH community may even spot vignettes in the books directly inspired by life around campus. 

“A special shout-out to Ed Glassman (director of CEL) for always supporting efforts to re-envision and reinvent curriculum; without his encouragement to pursue the Food Entrepreneurship path, this entire project wouldn't have happened,” said Knutson, who also called out the SCH Food Services team for its collaboration.

The book launch caps off a season of major milestones for Knutson, a Fulbright alumna and Global Schools Advocate. Knutson also recently learned she has been selected as a Pilot Light Food Education Fellow for the 2026–2027 academic year, further cementing her leadership in integrating food literacy into classroom learning. The fellowship will allow her to take part in monthly professional development sessions and the development of a community partnership and student food advocacy project. 

A set of the Civic Eats series will be available for the school community to view in the Middle School library, and Knutson will have copies on hand in her classroom when students return this September.