Author: sHq_LoGiNz

Every roof is exposed to many different stresses with different impacts. The ability of roofing materials to withstand the effects of sunlight, temperature swings, and wind and rain depends not only on design and installation but on the minerals built into the system. In modern roofing construction materials, fillers and aggregates play a central role in durability, stability and long-term performance.

Minerals such as silica sand quietly support many of the roofing products used today, improving resistance to ultraviolet radiation, adding weight for wind performance and supporting adhesion during manufacturing and installation. Understanding how these materials function helps explain why consistency and quality control are so critical in building materials and roofing applications.

Minerals: The Hidden Strength in Modern Shingles

Asphalt shingles remain the most widely used roofing material in North America, covering about 80 percent of residential roofs, according to the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA). Their popularity reflects a balance of affordability and durability, supported by mineral components that drive performance. Each asphalt shingle consists of a fiberglass mat coated with asphalt and surfaced with mineral granules. These granules, commonly made from high-quality silica sand, are embedded into the asphalt during manufacturing and serve several essential functions.

• UV Protection
  Mineral granules shield asphalt from direct ultraviolet exposure. Without this protective layer, UV radiation would accelerate asphalt oxidation, leading to brittleness and cracking. Opaque, coated mineral granules absorb and reflect UV light, significantly slowing weathering and extending shingle service life.
   
• Durability and Weather Resistance
  The hardness of silica-based granules improves resistance to hail, wind-driven debris and surface abrasion. Granules also contribute to fire resistance by forming a noncombustible outer layer. Quartz, one of the hardest naturally occurring minerals, provides the structural integrity needed to withstand these conditions without degrading over time.
   
• Weight and Wind Performance
  Mineral content adds significant weight to each shingle, improving resistance to wind uplift and movement. Mineral granules can account for more than one-third of an asphalt shingle’s total weight, a critical factor in helping shingles remain securely in place during high-wind events. Added mass supports stability, impact resistance and long-term roof integrity.
   
• Adhesion and Handling
  Granules must bond securely to the asphalt coating to perform their protective role. Uniform particle size and clean surfaces help ensure consistent adhesion during production. Fine mineral sands are also applied to the back of shingles to prevent them from sticking together in packaging, improving handling and installation efficiency. Inside the asphalt coating itself, mineral fillers contribute to internal strength and cohesion, supporting both manufacturing consistency and field performance.

Beyond Shingles: Minerals Across Roofing Systems

In addition to asphalt shingles, minerals support performance across a wide range of roofing construction materials.

• Ceramic and clay tiles rely on silica sand to maintain shape and strength during firing. Silica’s thermal stability helps tiles resist cracking and deformation at high temperatures.
• Built-up roofing systems use sand or gravel as a protective top layer, shielding underlying bitumen from UV exposure while adding mass and durability. In some formulations, finely ground silica improves reflectivity and surface performance.
• Roofing sealants and mastics incorporate mineral fillers to control viscosity, enhance adhesion, and improve cured strength, ensuring reliable sealing under environmental stress.

Across all these applications, the quality and consistency of the mineral inputs directly affect performance, appearance and service life.

Consistency in Roofing Materials

Because mineral performance depends on purity and particle size, roofing manufacturers require materials that meet tight specifications. Variations in grading, moisture or chemistry can lead to surface defects, adhesion issues or inconsistent appearance.

Covia supplies roofing-grade silica materials processed under rigorous quality control programs to ensure predictable performance batch after batch. High-purity quartz minimizes unwanted chemical interactions while controlled sizing supports uniform coverage and adhesion in roofing applications.

Covia’s products enhance durability and reduce failures, which directly supports sustainability by extending service life and minimizing waste.

Sustainability Through Smarter Materials

Sustainability in roofing materials also depends on how efficiently materials are manufactured and how safely they are handled throughout production. High-quality mineral fillers support sustainability by enabling tighter process control and minimizing material waste.

Worker safety is a critical part of responsible manufacturing. GRANUSIL® DST®, Covia’s dust-suppressed silica sand, is designed to significantly reduce airborne dust during handling and processing. By minimizing respirable silica exposure, GRANUSIL DST supports safer manufacturing environments while maintaining the performance characteristics required for roofing applications.

Consistent, high-purity minerals also help manufacturers avoid formulation variability that can lead to rejected batches or premature material failure. By supplying reliable materials that support durability and predictable performance, Covia helps extend service life and reduce waste across the roofing product lifecycle.

Covia’s Mineral Solutions for Roofing Applications

Covia supports modern roofing systems with mineral products engineered for performance, consistency and safety:

• GRANUSIL High Performance Industrial Silica: High-purity silica sand used in roofing granules and backsurfacing applications, delivering UV resistance, durability and consistent appearance.
• GRANUSIL DST: Dust-suppressed GRANUSIL that enhances worker safety and operational efficiency during shingle manufacturing.
• IMSIL® Microcrystalline Silica: Finely ground silica used as a functional filler to improve UV resistance, thermal stability and formulation control in select roofing materials.

Each product is backed by Covia’s nationwide supply network and quality-assurance programs, helping roofing manufacturers maintain consistent output and meet demanding specifications.

A Trusted Partner Behind Roofing Performance

Minerals play a critical role in the performance of modern roofing materials and a wide range of building products. By enhancing UV resistance, adding weight and stability and supporting adhesion and durability, silica-based fillers and aggregates help roofing systems stand up to long-term environmental exposure.

Covia delivers these minerals with the consistency, quality control and safety focus roofing manufacturers rely on. Backed by technical expertise, responsive collaboration and a dependable supply network, products like GRANUSIL, IMSIL, and GRANUSIL DST support reliable production and durable roofing systems for residential and commercial buildings across North America.

Click here to read this article on CoviaCorp.com 

Contact us to learn more.

Three Points to Remember 

1. AI data centers are straining the power grid, and major system upgrades are needed to handle their significant and variable energy demands.
2. Leidos helps utilities and data center developers integrate energy systems using the existing grid combined with on-site power generation and energy storage.
3. Leidos is developing AI-powered tools for grid planning and power system optimization.

The nation’s power grid needs modernization to meet rapidly growing energy demands from an AI-powered society. As more hyperscale data centers come online to serve AI computing needs, these massive installations could consume as much as 12% of all U.S. electricity within a few years, according to the Dept. of Energy’s Berkeley Lab.

AI data centers will further stress the aging infrastructure that carries, distributes and delivers electricity, which is already under strain from factors like electrification-driven load growth and weather-related heating and cooling demands.

“The power grid is an amazing thing but has been very slow, big and complicated to build, and we don’t have enough people and time to get where we need to be,” said Josh Wepman, VP and CTO of energy, infrastructure and automation at Leidos. “We need a radically more effective way of designing and scaling the future power grid.”

The power industry is grappling with a shortfall of engineers. Through AI-powered solutions, Leidos supports utilities and system owners across the country by automating much of the daily and labor-intensive tasks of power engineering design. The master planning work to create a higher-capacity grid, Wepman said, is also well-suited for intelligent automation and human-AI collaboration. 

Grid operators could benefit from AI modeling and simulation that helps optimize infrastructure as the power dynamics of entire regions change with new data centers. AI-powered tools can help planners for large-scale energy development projects reach design and engineering decisions much more quickly and adapt as AI strategies evolve.  

“Getting AI data centers online has become an arms race. It’s a matter of importance both commercially and for national security.”

Josh Wepman
Leidos VP and CTO of energy, infrastructure and automation

AI data centers intensify the paradigm shift in power planning

Load growth from data centers is putting significant pressure on transmission and substation infrastructure.

Substations act as large electrical transformers, receiving electricity from long-distance transmission lines and stepping down the voltage for local lines that deliver the power. Because of their enormous and continuous power demands, hyperscale data centers require mega-sized substations, and many developers are working with utilities to build ones located on site. 

“There are very few 1-gigawatt-plus substations in the power grid,” Wepman noted. One gigawatt, equaling 1,000 megawatts, is approximately half the power generated by the Hoover Dam.

“Getting AI data centers online has become an international arms race,” he added. “It’s a matter of importance both commercially and for national security, and developers are in a ludicrous-speed hurry.” 

Market analysts put the volume of U.S. hyperscale data centers at above 600, and the typical installation requires 100 to 150 megawatts of peak power. But their number and size are expected to rise quickly with the proliferation of AI computing.

Match game: bridging capacity and load differences

At these installations, the power-dense, high-intensity hardware for performing AI computations and the advanced cooling systems for managing heat require immense around-the-clock power.

Data center developers are making sure that installations have the power capacity to run nonstop by adding on-site energy production and storage atop the utility-provided baseload power. These co-generation schemes have as much to do with having contingency power in case of outages as supplementing the grid supply during peak periods.

More and more, Leidos provides power systems engineering support for co-generation at data centers. The company works with project partners to plan and integrate on-site power solutions, which are typically natural-gas-fired powerplants and lithium-ion battery energy storage systems.

“Hyperscalers are attempting to develop data centers faster than traditional utility project cycles,” said Chris Houle, VP of power delivery solutions in Leidos’ Commercial and International Sector. While developers work with utilities on long-term upgrades, “they have to decide how to make up for the energy they need in the short term,” he said.

In some cases, that deficit can be significant. And with AI data centers, the swings in computational demand, and therefore energy needs, can be massive. 

AI workloads, particularly those for training or running deep learning models, can quickly change by hundreds of megawatts due to GPU processing demands. Together with usage volumes that can also vary greatly, this presents new challenges in power system operations. 

“Data centers change how we think about power systems. These are mega-projects that the U.S. hasn’t done in a long time.”

Chris Houle
Leidos VP of power delivery solutions

Managing much larger and more frequent load fluctuations has also become an important aspect of Leidos’ power engineering work. Leidos is developing solutions to handle energy densities that are orders of magnitude greater than those of typical commercial office buildings. 

Akin to a car’s suspension going over a road full of potholes and bumps, Leidos engineers integrate advanced load management to keep the power supply stable during wider-ranging load variances, using battery energy storage systems and other devices to absorb and release energy to compensate.

“The load ramps and reductions are anticipated to be faster and more frequent than traditional large loads served by the grid,” Houle noted. “These data centers change how we think about power systems. Even a 10% demand swing at a gigawatt data center is 100 megawatts of load change.”

Micro to macro support for power industry partners

By working in tandem with the utility supply, the “behind-the-meter” generation and storage at data centers form, in effect, private microgrids powerful enough to sustain small cities.

“These are the largest microgrids the industry has ever had to build,” Wepman said. “The developers’ value proposition to their customers is to keep the ginormous power farms going and serving the need. No developer wants a $5 billion data center that keeps tripping offline.”

“These are mega-projects that the U.S. hasn’t done in a long time,” Houle added. He noted that on some projects, Leidos is “working from tip to tail” with utilities, developers and construction companies on master planning, owner’s engineering and site execution. 

Both he and Wepman noted that the company has introduced generative AI-powered tools to projects and is working on more advanced AI to help partners optimize power distribution and plan transmission systems faster and more effectively. 

They hinted that the AI being developed and trained will accelerate analytical capabilities and problem-solving of complex and capital-intensive power projects. The technologies will strengthen Leidos’s collaboration with industry partners in grid planning and development. 

“The grid will undergo its biggest transformation since the time it was built, and AI technologies are letting humans rise to the challenge,” Wepman noted. 

“It’s a challenge that’s moving fast,” Houle remarked. 

MORE ON LEIDOS’ POWER DELIVERY SOLUTIONS

BATTLE CREEK, Mich., January 28, 2026 /3BL/ – WK Kellogg Co is proud to announce its new partnership with the Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger, a nonpartisan coalition working in collaboration with Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign. The Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger brings together more than 500 mayors from across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., representing a coalition of leaders united in the fight against childhood hunger.

The strategic alliance builds on WK Kellogg Co’s longtime support of No Kid Hungry and underscores the company’s commitment to efforts that increase access to nutritious food for every child. It also aligns with the company’s sustainable business strategy, Feeding Happiness — which aims to make eating well easy, help kids be their best and better our communities.

“WK Kellogg Co has a longstanding commitment to ensuring all kids have the healthy food they need to thrive,” said Stacy Flathau, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at WK Kellogg Co. “We are honored to support the Mayors Alliance and No Kid Hungry in their mission to empower local leaders, elevate community-driven solutions and create lasting change toward this important cause.”

This partnership will help strengthen the Mayors Alliance’s efforts to expand its membership and amplify the voices of mayors and communities leading innovative efforts to end hunger.

“With the support of WK Kellogg Co, the Mayors Alliance is empowering city leaders to move from intention to action in the fight against childhood hunger,” said Aaron Goldstein, Senior Manager, Local Government Relations at No Kid Hungry. “We know that mayors are on the frontlines of innovation, and this partnership ensures they have the resources, relationships and momentum to end hunger in their communities.”

WK Kellogg Co has a strong connection with the communities represented in the Mayors Alliance, including Lancaster, Pa. and Memphis, Tenn. – two key plant locations for WK Kellogg Co – as well as the company’s hometown of Battle Creek, Mich.

“WK Kellogg Co has long been a vital part of the Battle Creek community, and we’re proud to see their impact reaching far beyond our city,” said Mark Behnke, Mayor of Battle Creek. “The Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger plays a critical role in helping communities like ours work toward a future where no child goes without the food they need to succeed. Supporting kids and families in this way is a shared responsibility, and we’re committed to tackling this together.”

This collaboration reinforces the power of public-private partnerships in addressing childhood hunger, one of the most pressing issues facing America’s youth.

###

ABOUT WK KELLOGG CO 

At WK Kellogg Co, we bring our best to everyone, every day through our trusted foods and brands. Our journey began in 1894, when our founder W.K. Kellogg reimagined the future of food with the creation of Corn Flakes, changing breakfast forever. Our iconic brand portfolio includes Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes®, Rice Krispies®, Froot Loops®, Kashi®, Special K®, Kellogg’s Raisin Bran®, and Bear Naked®. With a presence in the majority of households across North America, our brands play a key role in enhancing the lives of millions of consumers every day, promoting a strong sense of physical, emotional and societal wellbeing. Our beloved brand characters, including Tony the Tiger® and Toucan Sam®, represent our deep connections with the consumers and communities we serve. Through our sustainable business strategy – Feeding Happiness^TM – we aim to build healthier and happier futures for families, kids and communities. We are making a positive impact, while creating foods that bring joy and nourishment to consumers. For more information about WK Kellogg Co and Feeding Happiness, visit www.wkkellogg.com.

ABOUT NO KID HUNGRY

No child should go hungry in America. But millions of kids in the United States live with hunger. No Kid Hungry is working to end childhood hunger by helping launch and improve programs that give all kids the healthy food they need to thrive. This is a problem we know how to solve. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of Share Our Strength, an organization committed to ending hunger and poverty.

Originally published on Guiding Stars Health & Nutrition News

by Allison Stowell

Maybe you’re just two weeks into your Dry January. Or possibly you’re already part of the growing sober curious movement, which saw a 44% increase in 2025. Americans are becoming more aware of the health impacts of alcohol consumption and looking toward non-alcoholic options. We’re not simply drinking less alcohol, we’re seeking beneficial beverages that do more than just hydrate. It’s a growing trend that’s changing the beverage industry.

It’s also affecting consumer health, and to address this impact, Guiding Stars evaluates beverages using a dedicated beverage algorithm. Star ratings in the beverage aisle help consumers embrace drinks lower in natural and added sugar, saturated fat, salt, and artificial colors. At a time when the beverage category includes everything from alternative sodas to functional sips infused with probiotics, adaptogens, and more, this is welcome guidance.

Adaptogen Drinks 

Adaptogens are plant-based ingredients that help your body achieve better balance. They’ve become very popular for reducing stress, creating calm, and managing cortisol levels. And market research shows that they’re likely to become available in more products. Adaptogen-infused beverages, along with other popular options that combine amino acids and herbs that behave like adaptogens, are increasingly popular. When adaptogens are consumed in safe amounts, they’re non-toxic. However, if you’re taking daily medication or under medical care for a chronic condition, talk to your doctor before adding them to your regular routine.

Modern Sodas

Gone are the days when soda was either clear or dark, regular or diet. Today’s soda category includes options that offer probiotics, adaptogens, and more. Given the benefits and popularity of modern sodas, it’s easy to view them all with a health halo. But it’s important not to overlook the drawbacks. For example, in many cases these products will be low-sugar, but not sugar-free, a potential pitfall for diabetics. That said, they’re a welcome alternative to traditional soda. And most are sold in varying can sizes to assist with portion control. Lean on the Guiding Stars beverage algorithm to help you find options higher in vitamins, minerals, and live active cultures, and lower in sugar and other attributes to limit (like artificial colors).

Probiotic & Prebiotic Beverages

You’ve probably noticed that probiotic and prebiotic beverages are increasingly taking over the beverage aisle. Probiotic beverages offer live active cultures, which add more beneficial bacteria to your gut microbiome. Look for probiotic-rich fermented drinks like kombucha, along with many other sparkling options. Include Guiding Stars-earning drinks with prebiotic fiber too. Prebiotic options like Olipop and Poppi, for example, “feed” probiotic bacteria in the gut microbiome, allowing it to flourish. Together, prebiotics and probiotics improve gut health, which means fewer digestive issues and improved immunity.

Mocktails & Non-Alcoholic Beer

The most popular alternatives to alcoholic beverages, particularly in social settings, are mocktails and non-alcoholic beer. Sales of ready-to-drink mocktails are surging as more people look for convenient ways to avoid alcohol. Before making these your “go-to” alternative, however, consider attributes like added sugar, which you’ll find in many popular brands. And as with anything, balance is key. Whenever possible, make your own mocktails with less sugar and fewer calories. Try this Cucumber Lemon Kombucha Mocktail or Tropical Ginger Punch.

About Guiding Stars

Guiding Stars is an objective, evidence-based, nutrition guidance program that evaluates foods and beverages to make nutritious choices simple. Products that meet transparent nutrition criteria earn a 1, 2, or 3 star rating for good, better, and best nutrition. Guiding Stars can be found in more than 2,000 grocery stores and through the Guiding Stars Food Finder app.

Image by Freepik

AMSTERDAM and HONG KONG and OAKLAND, Calif., January 28, 2026 /3BL/ – Cascale today released the State of the Industry 2026: Decarbonization Progress in the Apparel, Footwear & Textiles Industry report, finding the sector is not decarbonizing at the pace or scale required to meet global climate targets. The report analyzes verified 2023 and 2024 energy data from the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM), with a focus on Tier 1 finished product manufacturing and Tier 2 material manufacturing. Using Cascale’s new Effective Energy Carbon Intensity (EECI) metric, the analysis assesses how effectively the industry is decarbonizing energy use, which remains the dominant source of Scope 1 and 2 emissions.

“This report makes clear that there are no shortcuts to decarbonization,” said Jeremy Lardeau, Senior Vice President, Higg Index at Cascale. “Real progress depends on true value chain collaboration, not sourcing shifts by the brands. The level of investment required to achieve the deep decarbonization measures at facility level means brands will have to step up in a meaningful way. The climate agenda must be seen as an imperative to change the legacy sourcing dynamics of this industry.”

Key Findings

• Overall decarbonization progress remains slow. Verified facility data shows only marginal improvement in EECI performance over time, far below what is required to meet climate targets.
• Coal use remains a critical barrier to progress. Coal accounts for 31 percent of total industry energy consumption, remaining unchanged year-over-year. In Tier 2, coal represents the largest fuel source, accounting for 40 percent of the global energy mix.
• Renewable energy adoption remains limited and flat. Renewables account for only two percent of total industry energy consumption, unchanged between 2023 and 2024, despite more facilities reporting some renewable energy use.
• Emissions are highly concentrated. A relatively small number of large, energy-intensive facilities drive a disproportionate share of emissions, indicating that targeted interventions could accelerate progress more effectively than uniform approaches. Cascale encourages brands and suppliers to engage with the Manufacturer Climate Action Program (MCAP), providing manufacturers with a structured pathway to measure emissions, set science-aligned targets (SATs), and implement reductions.

The findings align with broader global assessments, including recent analysis from the United Nations Environment Programme, which underscores that current policies remain insufficient to limit warming to 1.5°C.

Cascale’s report cautions against relocating production based on country averages and emphasizes long-term, collaborative engagement with manufacturers, particularly in Tier 2; to achieve this, supply chain engagement is essential. On March 4 , Cascale will host a member-only webinar that includes a deep dive into the report and a discussion on how EECI can be used by organizations to analyze their supply chains; Cascale members can register here.

Cascale will publish this State of the Industry report annually to track progress and support collective action. The organization will continue expanding access to data and analytics for members and advancing programs such as the Manufacturer Climate Action Program to support science-aligned targets and measurable emissions reductions.

ABOUT CASCALE

Cascale is the global nonprofit alliance empowering collaboration to drive equitable and restorative business practices in the consumer goods industry. Formerly known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cascale owns and develops the Higg Index, which is exclusively available on Worldly, the most comprehensive sustainability data and insights platform. Cascale unites over 300 retailers, brands, manufacturers, governments, academics, and NGO/nonprofit affiliates around the globe through one singular vision: To catalyze impact at scale and give back more than we take to the planet and its people.

LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The Gaziano Awards selection committee has announced the winners of the 2026 Frank J. Gaziano Memorial Defensive and Offensive Lineman Awards. Joe Hayden, of Mt. Blue High School, has been named the top senior offensive lineman. John Havu V, of Bonny Eagle High School, earned the honor of top defensive lineman. Each will receive a trophy and scholarship of $5,000.

Hayden has been a four-year starter and two-year team captain, demonstrating leadership, discipline and consistency. In the classroom he maintained a 3.9 GPA and earned membership in the National Honor Society. 

“Joseph is a natural leader whose work ethic set the standard for those around him,” said Craig Collins, head football coach, Mt. Blue High School. “He exemplifies our core values—family first, then academics and then football—and serves as an exceptional role model for our younger athletes and entire school community.

Havu V was a nose guard who played through significant injury his senior year, displaying resilience and leadership as a team captain. He maintained a 4.04 weighted GPA, earned SMAA All-Academic honors and demonstrated exceptional toughness both on and off the field. 

“John’s leadership set the tone for our program. His ability to battle through adversity without making excuses speaks volumes about his character, and he is a model of what a true student-athlete should be,” said Kevin Cooper, head football coach, Bonny Eagle High School.

The Frank J. Gaziano Memorial Awards serve as a living tribute to Frank Gaziano’s legacy as an athlete, businessman and community leader. With continued support from National Distributors and KeyBank, the program recognizes student-athletes who demonstrate perseverance, discipline and integrity both on and off the field. 

Offensive finalists for the 2025 awards included Collin Thompson of Thornton Academy and Colin Haigh of Portland High School. Defensive finalists were Griffin Faulkner of Old Town High School and Jangmin Lee of Thornton Academy. Each finalist is awarded a $1,000 scholarship and trophy. 

For more information on the Gaziano Lineman Awards scholarship program, visit gazianolinemanawards.org.

LEEDS, England, January 28, 2026 /3BL/ – We are delighted to share that we have successfully achieved accreditation of our Integrated Management System (IMS) to ISO 9001 (Quality), ISO 14001 (Environmental Management), and ISO 45001 (Occupational Health & Safety).

This accomplishment follows a rigorous external audit conducted by Alcumus ISOQAR, a UKAS accredited ISO certification body—giving independent, nationally recognised assurance of our systems and performance.

Our accreditation reflects the drive, professionalism, and commitment to excellence shown by our entire team in delivering high quality services, operating responsibly, and ensuring the health, safety, and wellbeing of our people and stakeholders.

“This is a fantastic milestone as we continue to grow with quality, sustainability, and safety at the core of everything we do,” said Alex Ferguson, CEO of Antea Group UK. “Achieving accreditation across all three of these standards demonstrates our commitment to robust management systems that support our people, our clients, and the communities we serve.”

“This accreditation is a testament to the collective effort across the business,” said Kelvin Hughes, Technical Director at Antea Group UK, who led the accreditation process. “It reflects the professionalism of our team and our shared commitment to delivering high-quality services while operating responsibly and prioritising health, safety, and environmental performance.”

This achievement marks an important step in Antea Group UK’s continued growth, reinforcing its commitment to excellence, responsible operations, and continuous improvement as part of the wider Antea Group.

About Antea Group UK

Antea Group is an international engineering and environmental consulting firm specializing in full-service solutions in the fields of environment, infrastructure, urban planning and water. By combining strategic thinking and multidisciplinary perspectives with technical expertise and pragmatic action, we do more than effectively solve client challenges; we deliver sustainable results for a better future. With more than 3,250 employees in over 100 offices around the world, we serve clients ranging from global energy companies and manufacturers to national governments and local municipalities. Learn more: www.anteagroup.uk.

Join us to meet Josiah Lessie, the sole NYC winner of the first annual Nourishing Narratives mobile film competition and screen his award-winning film. This event is open to the media, with RSVPs required. The evening will include a live Q&A, salad tasting, and photo opportunities.

When: Wednesday, January 28, 2026 – doors open 9:30, event starts promptly at 10 AM – 11 AM

Where: P77K
62 Park Place
Brooklyn, NY 11217

Who and What:

Josiah Lessie is a student at P77K, a NYC District 75 public school that serves students with developmental differences. He has a passion for cooking and a mission to share what he’s learned. Through his school’s farmers market program, Josiah discovered hydroponics and developed his own basil salad dressing recipe, made with fresh basil grown on-site, which quickly became a favorite among classmates and staff. To tell his story for the Nourishing Narratives competition, Josiah used assistive technology to narrate his film, allowing him to express himself in a way that felt true and comfortable. Josiah entered the competition to show other students with developmental differences what’s possible when they share their voice.

• To celebrate his film, school partner Green Bronx Machine donated to Josiah and P77K a Mobile Classroom Kitchen enabling Josiah and his classmates to expand their capacity to grow food and produce dressing.
• On January 28, 2026, Green Bronx Machine Founder, Stephen Ritz, will announce that P77K will be awarded a multi-year grant enabling them to have complete year-round food production capabilities to facilitate the development and debut of the first NYC DOE NYS Farmers Market to be run in partnership and compliance with NYS Ag Department.
• As a result, students and teachers will be trained to be fully compliant with NYS, grow and sell products onsite, accept cash, credit cards, electronic benefits, health bucks, and serve their community weekly. Proceeds will go to support and employ graduates of the program in a virtuous cycle and enable them to be paid to train their peers at other schools citywide.

This unique partnership is the first of its kind in NYC, designed to be replicable statewide and the result of a long-term relationship between P77K staff, students, administration and Green Bronx Machine, with the film event made possible by the Mosaic Film Experience and Newman’s Own Foundation, who provided both funding and capacity support. Josiah’s ongoing success and national recognition subsequently became the catalyst for developing evergreen programming that serves the best interests of students, the school, and the community at large while addressing food insecurity, workforce development, and 21st-century opportunities in a multi-tiered, add-value capacity. Through Green Bronx Machine, the school will receive training, indoor growing technology, cash registers, computers, scanners, scales, packaging equipment, even a chicken coop to grow and gather eggs, all of which will be used to open a weekly market serving the entire community, and of course, featuring Josiah’s famous dressing.

• “We could not be prouder of Josiah and the entire school community,” exclaimed P77K Principal Ebony Russell, “and we are so grateful for all the support from Mosaic Film Experience, Newman’s Own Foundation, and Green Bronx Machine for their support. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and we intend to maximize it to our fullest.”
• “OMG – I still can’t believe I won,” added student Josiah Lessie, “I never knew people were interested. I’m excited to bring my salad dressing and grow more vegetables for the whole world. Thanks everyone and I hope you come to the event.”
• “We are still bathing in the glory and dealing with all the excitement,” added P77K teacher Katherine Marte. “Josiah worked so hard, and to see him recognized like this is so inspiring and rewarding for all of us. The support has been amazing and to think that we will be the first school in NYC to have this experience is an incredibly motivating factor for the students and for me as a teacher as well!”
• “Food education can teach our children to grow nourishing food, nurture creativity and passion, and plant the seeds of change that positively transform communities,” said Mayor’s Office of Food Policy Executive Director Kate MacKenzie. “We’re proud of Josiah and P77K and are excited to see this partnership with Green Bronx Machine help our students flourish.”
• “Josiah’s story is a powerful example of what happens when young people are given the tools and platform to share their stories,” said Skot Welch, Founder and President of Mosaic Film Experience. “We believe storytelling belongs to everyone and Josiah’s film shows us how confidence can grow when students are supported. We’re honored to partner with P77K and proud to see Nourishing Narratives open doors for student storytellers like Josiah.”
• “Paul Newman believed deeply in nourishing and transforming the lives of children and that mission continues to guide our work today,” said Alex Amouyel, President and CEO of Newman’s Own Foundation. “Through Nourishing Narratives, we’re proud to elevate youth voices on food justice and to partner with Mosaic Film Experience to bring these important stories, and student storytellers, to the forefront of national conversations.”
• “Today we celebrate endless possibilities. Green Bronx Machine could not be more excited to celebrate and support the entire P77K community. We’ve grown this together.” Stated Green Bronx Machine Founder, Stephen Ritz, “From the moment we met the staff, Josiah, and his classmates, we were in love and KNEW this was a special community and Green Bronx Machine was determined to make epic happen.” Ritz added: “We could not have done this and gotten JoJo and the school to this point without the love and support of our friends at Newman’s Own Foundation who encouraged us to dream big, plan systemically.” Ritz concluded: “This project represents something far bigger than the sum of its parts and serves as the power of example; but at its core, speaks to the very foundations of who we all are, why we all do the work we do, along with the inclusion and opportunities every child needs and deserves. What a moment! The best is yet to come and Green Bronx Machine is so proud to be a part of it!”

About P77K:

P77K is an inclusive and dynamic environment where students are empowered to achieve their fullest potential in literacy, communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking. It is an interconnected world where students have the skills and confidence for successful social-emotional, academic, and community interactions and where every teacher is equipped with the skills and strategies to ensure that every child has opportunity to succeed regardless of their background or educational abilities.

P77K focuses upon rigorous instruction, student safety, and building independent members of the community through work-based learning programs including the P77K Farmers’ Market, which teaches students to grow, harvest, and provide fresh produce to the local community. Every student at P77K is offered the opportunity to work in our P77K Garden and hydroponics lab, which has increased student engagement and learning across all content areas.

About Mosaic Film Experience:

Founded in 2012 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the Mosaic Film Experience (MFE) is a 501(c)(3) organization that reimagines students’ pathways to emerging and creative industries through innovative education and workforce development experiences, by connecting students directly with industry-leading professionals, hands-on projects, and interactive workshops. Mosaic Mobile bridges the gap between classroom learning and evolving careers. In an era when storytelling and digital media skills are essential, another way Mosaic prepares students for the future and empowers them to express their own unique voices. For more information, visit https://www.mosaicfilmexperience.com.

About Newman’s Own Foundation:

Newman’s Own Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation whose mission is to nourish and transform the lives of children who face adversity. The Foundation continues Paul Newman’s commitment to use all the money that it receives—100% of the profits and royalties—from the sale of Newman’s Own products in service of its mission. Through the efforts of Paul Newman and Newman’s Own, over $625 million has been given to social impact organizations since 1982. Today, Newman’s Own Foundation grantee partners promote nutritious food in schools, advance Indigenous food justice, and through SeriousFun Children’s Network, create medically inclusive camp experiences. Learn more at https://newmansown.org.

About Nourishing Narratives: 

Nourishing Narratives is a mobile film competition open to any youth (13-18 years old) in the United States. To enter, youth create a film up to three minutes in length that is shot, edited, and submitted via mobile devices. Each film must include a the theme, prop, and saying. The goal of this competition is to inspire youth to explore innovative solutions, showcase the impact of organizations and individuals, and reimagine what a just, equitable, and fair food system for all looks like. Learn more at https://www.nourishing-narratives.com.

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.

Contact Information:

Name: Assistant Principal Tahirah Francois-Thomas
Email: TFrancoisthomas@schools.nyc.gov
Phone Number: 516-329-1051

Name: William Petrowitz
Email: wpetrowitz@schools.nyc.gov
Phone Number: 631-517-0328

Stephen Ritz
stephen.ritz@greenbronxmachine.org
917.873.6449

#documentary #philanthropy #workforce #urbanfarming #farmersmarket #education #nycschools #urbanagriculture #foodjustice #inclusion #diversity #students #success #NYCschools #greenbronxmachine #stephenritz