‘Ag in the Classroom’ grows with two new grants
The Virginia Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom recently received two grants from the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation. The funds will be used for a pilot literacy project during Agriculture Literacy Week (March 17-23) in 16 elementary schools in Rappahannock and Fauquier counties.
One grant is from the Patricia and Nicolaas Kortlandt Community Fund. Nick Kortlandt was a longtime member and past president of Fauquier County Farm Bureau who actively supported Virginia AITC.
The AITC literacy project brings together reading and agriculture, providing a reading book, lesson plan and 26 student activity books per classroom to encourage reading comprehension among beginning readers in kindergarten through second grade.
The book selected for the project is Kelly’s Big Day, written by Tammy Maxey, Virginia AITC senior education program coordinator. The book supports science and social studies educational standards and also gives children knowledge of Virginia agriculture and natural resources.
“The goals of the literacy project are to encourage and support reading comprehension initiatives, provide students with interactive learning opportunities to reinforce classroom instruction and provide teachers with great resources that can be used year after year,” said Carroll Laycock, relationship manager and green industry specialist for Farm Credit of the Virginias and a Virginia AITC Foundation board member.
“Agriculture in the Classroom provides agriculture-themed classroom resources and training directly to Virginia educators so children can learn about agriculture. We are so pleased that we received these grants that will enable us to make this literacy project possible in these schools.”
Virginia AITC is part of a nationwide effort to help teachers and students understand and appreciate agriculture, which is Virginia’s and the nation’s largest industry. The program provides training and materials to more than 2,000 educators each year, and its website ( AgInTheClass.org) provides teachers with Standards of Learning-aligned lessons, literacy activities and more. All AITC services are provided to educators at no cost.
Calling all artists
Plans are underway for RAAC’s ninth annual Artists of Rappahannock Studio & Gallery Tour, Nov. 2-3. In an effort to broaden the tour’s appeal, the planning committee is encouraging open studios to host multiple guest artists in “multi-artist venues” this year – but gently caution that visiting artists’ work must be of high quality and a reflection of serious artists versus hobbyists.
Local potter Susan Dienelt (susan@jubamountainpottery.co m) has experience with this approach, and would be happy to share what she has learned. Interested individuals should contact tour co-chairs Robert Ballard (robert@rhballard.com) or Nancy Raines ( nanhraines@gmail.com) by March 29.