Stephen Ritz of Green Bronx Machine to visit greater Denver, Colorado area for Great Day Colorado media appearance, public speaking, school visits, teacher training, screening of the award-winning documentary – GENERATION GROWTH – www.generationgrowthfilm.com – and a special teacher meet and greet at the Slate Hotel in partnership with Global Lighthouse Studios.
THESE ARE FREE EVENTS – open to the public and media, complete with Live Q/A, and photo opportunities.
CALLING ALL TEACHERS – Let’s Get Happy, join us at the Slate Hotel, FREE Teacher Engagement Session
When: Tuesday, March 3, 2026 @ 4-7 PM
Where:
The Slate Hotel
1250 Welton Street
Denver, Colorado, 80204
Who and What:
Join Stephen Ritz, Founder of Green Bronx Machine, along with Donna Guerin, Founder & Executive Director of Global Lighthouse Studios, for a happy hour meet and greet, conversations, partnership opportunities, and information about high-impact school sustainability programs, arts integration, and effective fundraising and corporate engagement strategies. Connect with fellow school leaders and teachers, along with local community-based organizations.
Ritz, regarded as America’s favorite teacher, is well regarded as a systems disruptor, highly innovative educator, urban farmer, social entrepreneur, and community advocate. A two-time best-selling author, host of a children’s tv show, he is well-known to educators and to the larger business and sustainability communities across the state of Colorado. Football coach, MLB / NFL All-Star Deion Sanders calls him: “Prime Time.” He is a five-time standing ovation speaker, presenter, and participant for the MBArk Program at the University of Colorado, Leeds School of Business – connecting business education to the food business, the first MBA-level executive education program for senior and emerging senior executives.
Ritz has connections to Denver Public Schools, Gotham Greens, Danone, King Soopers, Altius Farms, and many local businesses. He has worked to create fully funded community support events and opportunities to benefit high need communities across the state and has appeared as a keynote speaker for a multitude of organizations successfully helping to raise funds and awareness.
His Colorado friends and supporters include Joe Dobrow, Julie Zagars, Mark Retzloff, Carlotta Mast, Gary Hirshberg, Dr. Alex Marrero, Hunter Lovins, Chef Ann Cooper, DJ Cavem, and a host of other “crunchy, tree-hugging, democracy-loving, renegade hippies” who are determined to change the world and leave it better than they found it.
HE AND THE DOCUMENTARY ARE A TOUR DE FORCE WITH PRIOR STANDING OVATIONS IN COLORADO!
SEE THE AWARD-WINNING DOCUMENTARY – GENERATION GROWTH – www.generationgrowthfilm.com – along with speaker panel, live Q/A, and meet and greet. This is a free, family-friendly event, open to all including media.
TEACHERS: Earn 2.5 hours of re-licensure credit applicable to DCSD School District.
SEE THE TRAILER HERE: https://greenbronxmachine.org/generation-growth/
When: Wednesday, March 4, 2026 @ 4-7 PM
Where:
Castle View High School
5254 North Meadows Drive
Castle Rock, Colorado, 80109
Who and What:
Generation Growth is an award-winning film that has had over 1M views and is being used by teaching colleges and universities across the nation and will be integrated into a series of school leadership training programs nationally.
This is more than a film — it’s a movement. Come see how healthy food, education, and community can transform lives. Bring a friend and be part of this conversation of hope, healing, and growth. Generation Growth is a compelling documentary showcasing Ritz’s journey as a Bronx educator tackling food insecurity, poor health and education challenges across the country. Learn how together, we will continue to change lives for the better and HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED
Logline: Generation Growth tells the story of Stephen Ritz and his organization, Green Bronx Machine, as they grow high performing public schools, happy & healthy children, empowered teachers, and equitable, resilient communities along the way.
Synopsis: Poor health, diet-related diseases, food insecurity, and underperforming education continue to plague low-income and marginalized communities across the United States. Stephen Ritz, a Bronx educator who believes teachers change lives, is on a mission to change all that. He developed an incredibly successful whole-school curriculum, aligned to a data-driven indoor academic gardening program that allows children to grow vegetables in school, improving academic performance, changing eating habits, increasing classroom engagement, and providing pathways for 21st century employment. “Generation Growth” follows Ritz as he expands his low-cost, easily replicable program throughout the country, bringing passion, purpose, and hope to the communities, students, and teachers who need it most.
The film is being used in teaching colleges and universities across the country as an exemplar of pedagogy, curriculum, and school leadership including a new, 37-minute cutdown version designed for teacher professional development, highlighting effective pedagogy aligned to cross discipline, project-based learning. The film website is filled with resources, discussion questions, a grant portal, and more. Every public screening to date across the country has brought some level of new and additional funding opportunities, sponsorships, internships, and partners to host districts / schools. Denver Public Schools presently has over 20 schools using the very technology and curriculum featured in the film.
“I am so excited to coming to the great state of Colorado and grateful to Global Lighthouse Studios for working to make it happen,” said Stephen Ritz. “To be here, highlighting the film, appearing on Great Day Colorado, and most importantly, to support local schools, teachers, students, families and to bring free resources and training to all is proof positive of what committed educators and community advocates can do with the support of proactive, community minded school systems and leaders: I’m so grateful to be here!” Adds Donna Guerin, Executive Director, of Global Lighthouse Studios, “I’ve known Stephen for years, to be able to bring him, the film, his curriculum, passion, purpose, hope, and enthusiasm to my home community and beyond is the model of cross collaboration that all educators should aspire to. Our rising tide lifts all boats, and we expect the ripple effect will help all who attend to grow their pedagogy, their impact, their efficacy and skill sets. This event is for all teachers and parents, regardless of grade or subject being taught. It is in support of our entire educator community.”
Ritz goes on to add: “To be very clear, we are here to celebrate AND to grow something greater, for every teacher and for every adult committed to serving children. Donna and I are determined to continue to change lives for the better, to change narratives, and to create new paradigms and solutions together. This film and this moment are not about giving people fish nor about teaching people to fish, it’s about collectively creating new oceans and sustainable ecosystems that nurture all of us.” Ritz went on to say, “For years, Green Bronx Machine has had a successful relationship with Denver Public Schools and other Colorado school districts. This is a state that gets it on both sides of the aisle. Across the state, Coloradans understand that children will never be well read until they are well fed. There is so much respect and appreciation across Colorado for local food and healthy food aligned to high performing public schools and the arts, you see it and feel it everywhere you go. Further, to see the leadership, commitment, progress, inclusivity, and ongoing achievements happening in public education across the state and particularly across and within Denver Public Schools, under Superintendent, Dr. Alex Marrero, is inspiring, game-changing, and setting a new national standard. Folks are taking notice. Best practices are best practices, and I’m excited to see them, share them, and thank everyone committed to them and our children. Donna and I are excited to meet you as well.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Stephen Ritz
Green Bronx Machine
stephen.ritz@greenbronxmachine.org
917.873.6449
Donna Guerin
Global Lighthouse Studios
globallighthousestudios@gmail.com
720.588.0270
About Green Bronx Machine:
Green Bronx Machine is an award-winning, nationally acclaimed non-profit that builds healthy, equitable, and
resilient communities through inspired education, local food systems, and 21st Century workforce
development. Dedicated to cultivating minds and harvesting hope, their school-based model incorporates urban agriculture and Tower Garden technology supported by their whole-school curriculum aligned to key school performance indicators to grow high performing schools and happy, healthy children. Green Bronx Machine transforms once marginalized communities into neighborhoods that are inclusive and thriving. For more information, visit www.greenbronxmachine.org.
Reaching over 1,100 schools nationally and serving over 375,000 students daily, Green Bronx Machine was named a 2024 Fast Company Most Innovative Company and also offers an online educational platform, complete with instructional videos, free lesson plans, downloadable teacher resources, and an educational YouTube Channel: Green Bronx Machine KIDS! Learn more at www.greenbronxmachine.org/resources.
About Global Lighthouse Studios:
Global Lighthouse Studios bridges creativity and innovation to cultivate the next generation of changemakers. Through dynamic, arts-integrated programming, we empower students to turn bold ideas into action and vision into real-world impact. https://globallighthousestudios.org
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