Partnerships: A recipe for ‘Ag in the Classroom’ success

October is National Farm to School month and it’s time to highlight a little known, but successful effort to address agriculture literacy in schools. For the past 15 years, local high school students have brought agriculture presentations to elementary classrooms reaching more than 11,000 students. Northland Pioneer Grange No. 1 of Palmer and other local organizations provided support.

High school students have often gone on to agriculture or teaching careers and elementary students as well as teachers have gained a better understanding of agricultural concepts. Students who once participated in class are now returning to make the presentations.

Ag in the Classroom is a national education program begun in 1981, sponsored in part by the United States Department of Agriculture to encourage agricultural literacy. Curriculum is available on a wide variety of agricultural subjects through conferences, workshops, curriculum and online resources. Ag in the Classroom program activities in Alaska includes teacher training, student materials, workshops and resources as well as elementary class presentations by local high school students.

In 1994, members of the Northland Pioneer Grange No. 1 of Palmer identified a need for improving agriculture literacy in the local public schools. Concerned that youth increasingly did not understand where their food came from, they decided to pair up with high school 4-H Clubs and FFA students to help spread the word.

The Grange offers a stipend, some materials cost reimbursement and scholarship opportunity to interested high school students. Informational meetings are during lunchtime at local high schools in late fall or winter to explain the program and recruit students. Those interested are provided general information, a lesson plan template, presentation tips and sources for additional reference material. Workshops to further develop lesson plans, presentation skills, experiential education and related topics are also available. The high school students research a topic, develop lesson plans and learning activities for the appropriate grade level. Most students are affiliated with a local 4-H and/or FFA program and topics often included the student’s 4-H or FFA project.

High school students are encouraged to present engaging, hands-on educational opportunities and usually include interactive games, activities and similar experiential opportunities in addition to traditional or audio-visual presentations. Teachers in nearby elementary schools are also contacted with presenter information and topics to schedule their class presentations, usually between mid-April to the end of school (mid-May). Classroom presentations are generally 45 minutes long and scheduled in the afternoons. Occasionally, teachers will also request specific presentation topics.

In the past 15 years, more than 100 high school students have gained valuable research and teaching skills while sharing a wide variety of agricultural topics or experiences with younger youth. With similar support, the program could be expanded as well as replicated in other communities and schools for maximum benefit to all involved.

For more information, contact Lee Hecimovich at 745-3360.

Lee Hecimovich is an Associate Professor of Extension and 4-H and Youth Development at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.