Working Towards a
Common Goal for Ag
Education
Julie Tesch
Throughout the agricultural community, we
are regularly looking for ways to help America’s
youth better understand agriculture. But we all
have busy schedules, and many people may
think it is somebody else’s job to work with
students and teachers. Surely somebody will
help agriculture come together and tell our story,
right? Unfortunately, many times there are
anti-agriculture organizations posing as friends
of agriculture while playing into the hearts and
minds of youth, teachers and parents with false
information. They play on emotions and tell an
inaccurate story of agriculture. They are nimble,
well-funded and like to wax poetic with their
romanticized view of agriculture.
accurate materials that AITC coordinators can
utilize in their states. The Ag Foundation is also
proud to be sponsoring the NAITCO annual
conference and providing scholarships to
classroom teachers and volunteers to attend.
This year more than 400 educators nationwide
will attend the conference in Louisville, Kentucky,
June 16-20, to learn to incorporate real-life
agricultural applications into science, social
studies, language arts, math and nutrition
lessons.
Resources are tight everywhere, so we
consider it our duty at the Ag Foundation to help
create programs and products that can easily be
used by AITC coordinators across America from
the tip of Alaska to the coast of Florida. In order
to keep telling the story of agriculture accurately
both the Ag Foundation and NAITCO need your
continued help and support. Next time you
have questions about how to work with teachers
or students, please contact your AITC state
coordinator or the Ag Foundation. We are happy
to help you tell the story of agriculture.
Fortunately, there are two organizations
working together to tell the real story of
agriculture. The National Agriculture in
the Classroom Organization is a nonprofit
organization representing most of the state
Agriculture in the Classroom programs around the
country. Its mission is to educate K-12 teachers
and students about the importance of agriculture
by creating classroom materials and awards
programs as well as hosting a national conference
Making accurate, trusted educational resources
to demonstrate how agriculture can be applied in
available to youth is not a limited market. While
teaching core subject areas.
we may come from different organizations and
backgrounds, we share a common goal and will
The American Farm Bureau Foundation for
continue to work together for the common good of
Agriculture is proud to support the important
agriculture. All are welcome under the tent and we
work of the National Ag in the Classroom
look forward to working with you!
Organization by providing comprehensive,
West Virginia Farm Bureau News 17