Sponsors of Montana Agriculture Support Book Buddies Program

 

October 20, 2021

Several Montana residents from Augusta to Wolf Creek are sponsors of the Montana Ag in the Classroom Foundation's (MAITCF) Book Buddies Program. Because of their generosity, schools and students across the state are reaping benefits. Locally, First Grade Teacher Sheena Barber and her classroom of students at Meadowlark Elementary School are receiving sponsorship from Nissen Angus, a family owned Angus seedstock operation in Northcentral Montana operated by Jeff and Christy Nissen.

Barber reports that she's eager to get her first book this month. "I think the program will be great because we have so many kids that are part of agriculture. This will be a way to bring school and farming and ranching together. It will show them how important agriculture is to all of us. I also hope it will get some more kids excited about reading since it's something they are interested in."

With a Book Buddies sponsorship, over the course of the school year, a K-5 class will receive nine books which accurately depict agriculture. These books-such as Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens-come with corresponding lessons, activities, and a list of similar resources about Montana agriculture. For example, Stevens' book not only teaches readers about growing and harvesting crops but acquaints them with the edible parts of plants as well as the concept of top and bottom. Each class enrolled is also invited to engage in a social media group to discuss their lesson engagements and outcomes. In order to be shipping efficient, books and activities are mailed out three times during the year.

The cost of sponsorship for the 2021-2022 school year is $175.00 per classroom. Although the initial grant made provisions for 20 classrooms, the MAITCF secures sponsorships to match grant funds so that they can supply additional classrooms with these vital resources.

Established in 2019 as a public/private partnership to rejuvenate statewide agriculture education, MAITC is a program that benefits both the agriculture industry and students across Montana. The nonprofit works with groups like the Montana Department of Agriculture and the Office of Public Instruction (OPI) to educate students on local agriculture and food production.

In the past year, the MAITCF has employed an Executive Director to continue the work of updating, reprinting, and providing accurate agriculture materials to educators across the state. In this process, Acting Director, Lindsey Orem has also been responsible for grant writing to supply funding for current and future Foundation projects.

Last spring, Orem applied for a "Fire Up" grant with the National Ag in the Classroom Organization for $5,000. She used a mentor director's plan and added some elements to refine it. Her vision was that with $5,000, the Foundation could provide 20 classroom teachers with an ag accurate book and lesson/activity each month of the school year, for a total of nine books.

At the beginning of August, Orem learned that MAITCF was awarded the grant. "I quickly made the announcement to teachers and received amazing response. Within two weeks, over 180 teachers had applied to participate-all through a Facebook announcement! When I reported the response to my board, they committed to funding another 20 classrooms. Not wanting to turn teachers away, I offered a classroom sponsorship for businesses and individuals. Again, I just put it out there on social media. Through that campaign, we have funded an additional 20 classrooms, so our original grant has tripled! We hope to not turn a classroom away next year!"

During the first year of the program, MAITCF successfully brought back and distributed materials on topics such as wheat, pulse crops, agriculture careers, and pollinators. The Foundation is committed to continuing to develop and provide Montana specific, relevant, and accurate agriculture materials to pre-service teachers and pre-K through high school educators, volunteers, and organizations. MAITCF has both a Facebook and an Instagram page, and the organization is building content on You Tube.

With lesson plans and teaching resources available online at agr.mt.gov/Agriculture-in-the-Classroom, schools and communities can access an agriculture curriculum that provides opportunities to learn about agriculture in a fun and effective manner. The program further seeks to instill appreciation for local agriculture and food producers.

Because some students today may not realize where their food, fiber products, and alternative energy originate, MAITC is working to provide educational opportunities to discover agriculture's many benefits.

Orem is also the Agriculture Literacy Specialist for MAITC. In that role, her mission is two-fold:

• To provide teachers with timely, accurate, and integrated standards-based curriculum on Montana agriculture through "hands on, minds on" activities, and

• To encourage Montana student critical thinking about the role of agriculture in tomorrow's world.

One of the most recent sponsors of the Book Buddies Program, Nissen Angus received this note of gratitude from Orem: "Thank you to Nissen Angus for sponsoring a classroom! Chinook is lucky to have you as a part of their community and we are appreciative of the support too!"

Christy Nissen responded, "We are excited to do our small part in helping out with the Montana Ag Book Buddies program. What a fun way to invest in the future! Thank you, Montana Agriculture in the Classroom, for all the work you do to advocate for ag and to teach our youth about the value of agriculture!"

If others wish to get involved, there are multiple ways to do so. According to Orem, MAITC is a membership foundation. "Donors can make a one-time donation at any time AND you can look for the Support Ag Literacy in Montana Classrooms check box on your tax forms. Those funds go directly to funding MAITC and its programs! I really appreciate the article and all the support from sponsors!"

Like National Farmers' Day-which was celebrated on October 12, the MAITC program is simply another way to generate awareness for the agriculture industry and the hard work farmers and ranchers perform in producing the world's food and fiber.

In conjunction with that celebration, former Chinook resident Eric Tilleman, who currently serves as the Agricultural Education Specialist at OPI, did some math on the Montana Ag Book Buddies Project. After his calculations on October 12, he announced: "Together, we are providing 62 classes with nine books, lessons, and hands-on activities this school year. That's 558 books! Approximately 1,243 students will be engaging in ag accurate lessons each month! A little bit late, due to huge interest and growth with the program, but all the boxes are stuffed, sealed and shipped and either in teachers' hands or soon to be in teachers' hands! The next set of books will go out the week before Thanksgiving."

Now, that's something for which to be grateful!

 
 

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