Thursday, August 23, 2012
 
sponsored by

Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom receives gift from AT&T

Send a link to a friend

[August 23, 2012]  BLOOMINGTON -- The Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom program received a generous gift last week as representatives from AT&T presented a check for $20,000 to the program during Ag Day at the Illinois State Fair. The donation is an example of the company's efforts to support agriculture in the state of Illinois.

"We appreciate the commitment AT&T shows to the entire state of Illinois," said Susan Moore, director of the Illinois Farm Bureau's IAA Foundation. "By investing in a program like IAITC, urban and rural students alike benefit from understanding how important our farmers are. It's a welcome sign to have a partner like AT&T who sees how making that connection from farm to fork is so vital today, particularly for the livelihood of our agriculture community."

Paul La Schiazza, AT&T president, added that supporting the Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom program is about more than helping kids learn about agriculture -- it's about preparing students for the future.

"At AT&T, we recognize that our people are our most critical resource," La Schiazza said. "So we invest in education because we want to ensure the next generation of leaders and workers is prepared to meet the great challenges of a global economy. Today, we are proud to support the Agriculture in the Classroom program to ensure that the next generation fully appreciates the benefits of agriculture to the people and the economy of Illinois."

As a result of AT&T's donation, the program is able to distribute the Illinois Agriculture School Calendar to more than 25,000 classrooms. This education tool, a staple of the Agriculture in the Classroom program, features a different agriculture theme each month, often related to the time of year and topics of interest. Daily "Ag Facts" keep students engaged in learning about the importance of agriculture and how it helps put food on their tables. Other teacher-favorite features include nutrition information, vocabulary words and suggested reading.

"The Illinois Agriculture Calendar works seamlessly in conjunction with other IAITC materials," said Kevin Daugherty, director of education for Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom. "Students look forward to reading the daily ‘Ag Fact' on the calendar. In fact, teachers tell us that often students will remind them that they need to read their ag fact for the day if she forgets. It's truly a great way to keep agriculture a part of education every day."

[to top of second column]

The Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom program has a rich history of being the agriculture education resource for teachers to use in classrooms. All of its lessons meet Illinois Learning Standards, and teachers use the program to enhance their existing curriculum. A network of county coordinators and volunteers deliver programs and materials with accurate agriculture content to teachers and children in all 102 Illinois counties. Universities and public school systems recognize the program as the source for training teachers and educating children about the importance of agriculture, including the role it plays in providing healthy food choices to achieve a nutritious diet.

The Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom program is the top funding priority of the IAA Foundation, Illinois Farm Bureau's charitable foundation. Funding from agribusiness and related industries, state government, commodity groups, and individual donors helps the foundation reach its annual goals to raise funds to implement the classroom programming and provide teaching resources throughout the state of Illinois.

___

Online:

Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom:
http://www.agintheclassroom.org/

[Text from file received from Illinois Farm Bureau]

< Top Stories index

Back to top


 

News | Sports | Business | Rural Review | Teaching and Learning | Home and Family | Tourism | Obituaries

Community | Perspectives | Law and Courts | Leisure Time | Spiritual Life | Health and Fitness | Teen Scene
Calendar | Letters to the Editor