Teachers Learn About Ag During Summer Institute

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

Teachers across Alabama gathered 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 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.

Theresa Patterson and Shannon Taylor tasted the fruits of Whippoorwill Vineyards’ labor when touring the Notasulga farm.

A wealth of knowledge is not all the teachers took back to their classrooms. Each teacher received a kit with numerous books, posters, educator guides and other classroom activities valued at $375 each. Drawings were held for teachers who won classroom supplies, egg incubators, egg scopes and soybean science kits.

LaTonja Henderson, media specialist at Reeltown Elementary School, was excited about the resources and materials she received as a summer institute attendee.

“As a librarian in a rural area, I have students with agricultural backgrounds, and I felt I needed more resources relating to them,” she said. “I now have a stack of agricultural-based books to take back to the school.”

AITC Steering Committee Chair Kim Earwood said teachers were excited to attend after the 2020 AITC summer institute was canceled.

“One educator told me, ‘In 26 years of teaching, this is the most informative workshop I have been to, and I actually have some curriculum I can use,’” Earwood said. “That’s why we feel this institute is so important to agriculture as well as teachers and students.”

Each year, Alabama AITC provides grants for classroom projects that integrate agriculture into curriculum areas during the school year.

The Alabama Farmers Federation and the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries collaborate to provide the institute. The Alabama Farmers Agriculture Foundation, primarily funded by the sale of ag tag license plates, also provides support to the program.

For more information, visit AlabamaAITC.org.

Kindergarten through third-grade teachers made farm-focused crafts with the help of the Alabama Farmers Federation Women’s Leadership Committee.

Finally… a better mobility solution than Scooters or Power Chairs.

The Zoomer’s versatile design and 1-touch joystick operation brings mobility and independence to those who need it most.

If you have mobility issues, or know someone who does, then you’ve experienced the difficulties faced by millions of Americans. Once simple tasks like getting from the bedroom to the kitchen can become a timeconsuming and potentially dangerous ordeal. You may have tried to solve the problem with a power chair or a scooter but neither is ideal. Power chairs are bulky and look like a medical device. Scooters are either unstable or hard to maneuver. Now, there’s a better alternative… the Zoomer.

My Zoomer is a delight to ride! It has increased my mobility in my apartment, my opportunities to enjoy the-out-of-doors, and enabled me to visit the homes of my children for longer periods of time.

The various speeds of it match my need for safety, it is easy to turn, and I am most pleased with the freedom of movement it gives me. Sincerely, A. Macon, Williamsburg, VA After just one trip around your home in the Zoomer, you’ll marvel at how easy it is to navigate. It is designed to maneuver in tight spaces like doorways, between furniture, and around corners. It can go over thresholds and works great on any kind of floor or carpet. It’s not bulky or cumbersome, so it can roll right up to a table

Zoomer conveniently rolls beneath table or desk

Easy to use joystick control

Joystick Control

(adaptable left or right)

Sturdy & Lightweight Frame

Comfortable Seating

Swivel Away Footrest Powerful Battery/ Dual Motors

or desk- there’s no need to transfer to a chair. Its sturdy yet lightweight aluminum frame makes it durable and comfortable. It’s dual motors power it at up to 3.7 miles per hour and its automatic electromagnetic brakes stop on a dime. The rechargeable battery powers it for up to 8 miles on a single charge. Plus, it’s exclusive foldable design enables you to transport it easily and even store it in a closet or under a bed when it’s not in use. Why spend another day letting mobility issues hamper your lifestyle? Call now and find out how you can have your very own Zoomer.

12”

Folds to 12” in seconds

Ready to get your own Zoomer? We’d love to talk to you.

Call now toll free and order one today! 1-888-379-1421

Please mention code 115337 when ordering.