(From left to right) Angelina Smith and Emily Guenther demonstrate how to “dissect” a lima bean.
Agricultural education is crucial in inspiring the next generation to pursue and embrace agriculture. Many high schools and middle schools embrace this, yet the vast majority of elementary schools do not. That is where the Ag in the Classroom program comes in.
The Arizona Farm Bureau runs the Ag in the Classroom program in Arizona. This program brings agricultural education to elementary, middle and high schools. Additionally, they send teaching materials to FFA chapters so members can go out and teach agriculture to schools near them.
The AAEC-EM FFA Chapter is one of the many chapters in Arizona that participates in this program and regularly sends members to teach agriculture to local elementary schools. Since 2022, the AAEC-EM FFA Chapter has been sending chapter officers and members to elementary schools during the fall and spring to teach agriculture to kindergarten through second-grade classrooms.
The Arizona Farm Bureau provides lessons on topics such as plant growth, the parts of a seed, and the difference between fruits and vegetables. These lessons include reading a story, reviewing, and conducting a fun and memorable activity.
Members who volunteer learn valuable teaching and life skills through classroom management and activity preparation. They also leave a positive impact on the students they teach and inspire them to immerse themselves in agriculture, such as by growing their own plants at school.
The Ag in the Classroom program positively impacts young students by inspiring them to learn more about agriculture and agricultural literacy.
