By Shelby Shank
Field Editor

Agricultural science teachers learned from industry experts, networked with educators and received classroom resources during a Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) workshop at the Ag Teachers Association of Texas (ATAT) Conference.

The free workshop, “Where Urban Agriculture and Texas Farm Bureau Resources Meet the Classroom,” included an interactive presentation with industry partners and a tour of the Texas A&M AgriLife Dallas Center.

“The one-day workshop focused on urban agriculture, youth and educational resources and opportunities for ag science students,” Jordan Bartels, TFB associate director of Organization Division, Educational Outreach, said. “The workshop exposed educators to a variety of agricultural operations and allowed them to make valuable connections with each other and our industry partners.”

Teachers learned about urban agriculture through a rooftop garden presentation.

Teachers also learned about turfgrass management and the different grasses used for golf courses and football fields.

Educators watched a demonstration on how to build their own rainwater runoff collection system that they can introduce to their classroom. They also learned about mussel research being conducted by AgriLife.

The workshop gave teachers, like Misty Ermis, resources and information to take back to their classrooms for the new school year.

Ermis has been an agricultural science educator for 28 years and teaches livestock, greenhouse operations and small animal and equine science at City View ISD. She’s attended TFB’s Summer Ag Academies and attended the ATAT Conference specifically to attend the TFB workshop.

“I’m highly impressed of the resources Texas Farm Bureau has, and I plan on sharing those resources with anybody I can who teaches. The demonstrations inspired me to build raised garden beds and a rainwater runoff collection system for my school that I can easily make in my classroom,” Ermis said.

Teachers also participated in a hands-on activity extracting DNA from strawberries. It’s an activity they can easily implement in their classrooms.

Ira ISD agricultural science teacher Amanda Anderson attended the TFB workshop last year at the ATAT Conference and noted it was an easy decision to sign up again this year.

“I’m a firm believer that there is always something to learn, especially in the world of agriculture where things are constantly changing,” Anderson said. “I really appreciated the workshop that Farm Bureau hosted because it allowed me to go and see hands-on different areas of agriculture that I am able to take back to my classroom and tell my students.”

Anderson is excited to take back what she has learned about the opportunities available to students outside of their rural community.

Both teachers noted the value of the partnership between ag teachers and Farm Bureau.

“I think the partnership between an agricultural science program and Texas Farm Bureau is amazing,” Anderson said. “I think that each can support each other in many ways. The opportunities that Farm Bureau has for students really supports what I try to accomplish in the classroom with my students. I thought if they can benefit the students, then I want to see what there is for me as a teacher.”

Teachers took home classroom materials, including information on TFB contests, student leadership programs and resources designed specifically for agricultural science teachers.

The workshop took place at the Texas A&M AgriLife Dallas Center July 24.

Additional resources are available for agricultural science teachers at texasfarmbureau.org/aitc.