The Belding Community Youth Food Collaborative is a student-led, 12-week youth empowerment and market-based program for high school-aged students. Accepted student-leaders took charge of six garden plots at the local community garden to gain horticultural and leadership skills over the course of the summer. Student leaders also utilized the Teen Market Garden curriculum to create a business plan for the produce and herbs grown and took part in healthy living seminars. Students measurably increased their knowledge of organic agriculture and culinary practices and were exposed to a wide variety of new ideas and food stewards in their community, increasing awareness and interest in the field. The student leaders took the lead on continuing responsibility for the garden through fall 2017 and a 2018 iteration of the program.