Above: Seventy-eight teachers learned how to incorporate agriculture into their school curriculum during Summer Institute in June. Left: Farmer Jordyn Upchurch of Clay County answered questions regarding beef production and processing at Rockin’ U Farm during a lunch panel.
Teachers Learn Importance Of Agriculture At Summer Institute By Lakin Whatley eachers across Alabama gathered T in Opelika to learn about agriculture and how to implement it in their schools
at the Alabama Ag In The Classroom (AITC) Summer Institute June 16-18. The program allowed 78 teachers to become students while they attended farm field trips and participated in agricultural education activities. “You don’t realize how important agriculture is until you learn all the things the industry provides,” said Sueanne Strickland, a fifth and sixth grade teacher at Conecuh Springs Christian School in Bullock County. “I am excited to take this information back to my students, and I hope they realize the impact agriculture has on our lives.” Workshop speakers included Hollie Terry, director of School Programs at the
alfafarmers.org
Alabama Nature Center, and Jana Miller with the Dairy Alliance. “I liked how the speakers related agriculture to traditional elementary subjects such as math and science,” said Strickland. “I received some great ideas on how to integrate agriculture into the subjects I teach.” Farm tours included Blue Ribbon Dairy in Tallassee, Whippoorwill Vineyards in Notasulga and Lazenby Farms in Auburn. A panel of four local farmers answered questions from teachers at lunch during the tour. Topics included beef production, the timber industry, precision agriculture and labor issues. Teachers enjoyed interacting with bottle-fed calves at Blue Ribbon Dairy in Tallassee. August 2021
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