By Julie Tomascik
Editor
Students fill the classroom where intriguing lessons plans await them. And a teacher, passionate and patient, takes them on a journey of agriculture.
Some of those students have an agricultural background. Others are learning for the first time.
But for high school agricultural science teachers, classroom activities are about engagement, understanding and a future of unlimited possibilities.
That’s why Smith County Farm Bureau (CFB) wants to grow their relationship with area agricultural science teachers, and they’re taking the steps to nurture it.
“We recognize that being an ag teacher isn’t an 8-5 job,” Malcolm Williams, Smith CFB president, said. “We know they’re working long hours, and they’re working hard for our kids in the community.”
So they treated the teachers to a dinner and an evening of good conversation.
Eight teachers from five of the local schools were in attendance.
“We’re trying to bridge the gap between ag science teachers and Farm Bureau and show the teachers how Farm Bureau can help them,” he said.
Sometimes it can be tough to grow those relationships when teachers change jobs in the middle of the year or leave after a few years, but that’s not stopping Smith CFB.
“I think it was a successful night,” Williams said. “We have much to share with them, and they have a lot to share with us and their students. It’s a relationship that all of us can benefit from going forward, and we intend to keep working at it.”
During the evening, the Smith CFB board of directors planted seeds of information about Texas Farm Bureau (TFB).
“Oftentimes, when people hear Farm Bureau, they think insurance. They don’t always think about the youth leadership programs, scholarships, conferences and agricultural advocacy work that we do,” Williams said.
Smith CFB board members outlined youth programs like the Youth Leadership Conference and Free Enterprise Speech Contest.
They also shared more information about TFB’s interactive traveling exhibit, Planet Agriculture, that showcases livestock and crops grown in the Lone Star State.
Local farmers, board members and state staff can also serve as resources for information on current agricultural issues, Williams noted. And Smith CFB can help sponsor events.
“We talked with them about maybe sponsoring some of their student activities or FFA events in the future,” Williams said.
The board members encouraged the ag teachers to share information they learned with teachers in other grades.
“Even though this group was high school teachers, we told them that if they had teachers in the lower grades who were interested in the Mobile Learning Barn or other activities like Planting the Seed, we would like to talk to them,” Williams said.
TFB’s Mobile Learning Barns can feature up to seven different crops and livestock. It’s not only visual but interactive, as well. Nine mobile learning barns are placed across the state for use at agricultural fairs, Ag Days, county livestock shows and schools.
Planting the Seed introduces young students to the crops grown in Texas and allows students to get their hands dirty. They plant a seed and watch it grow, while meeting real farmers and ranchers through short videos.
“Farm Bureau has so many great opportunities for high school ag science teachers and other grade levels,” Williams said.
He noted Smith CFB is an active county, promoting agricultural education, literacy and awareness throughout the county through numerous events and activities.
Engaging with the teachers and recognizing them for their efforts is an activity Smith CFB plans to make an annual event.
“It’s important to show our appreciation for their hard work and the time spent with our youth,” Williams said.
Because the youth are the future, and teachers are a key factor in their development.
“We’d like to partner with these teachers and high school programs to help them and show them what Farm Bureau has to offer their students,” Williams said.
Relationships were formed that night—relationships that will help agricultural education and literacy thrive in Smith County.