Texas

Summer Ag Institute brings agriculture to Texas educators – Texas Farm Bureau

Published

5 months ago

June 18, 2024

Summer Ag Institute brings agriculture to Texas educators – Texas Farm Bureau

By Shelby Shank
Field Editor

Teachers across the Lone Star State learned more about agriculture and how they can incorporate agriculture into their classroom at this year’s Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) Summer Ag Institute (SAI)in Waco.

During the four-day professional development event, educators toured farms, ranches and agribusinesses in Central Texas. They heard from industry professionals, educational experts and participated in hands-on activities to replicate in their classrooms.

“Summer Ag Institute is an interactive, hands-on learning experience for educators to become familiar with agriculture and incorporating agriculture into the classroom,” said Jordan Bartels, TFB associate director of Organization Division, Education Outreach. “Educators toured farms and ranches to help them understand agriculture and discuss ways they can apply it to lessons and activities in their classrooms.”

Farm, ranch tours
Teachers toured TrueHarvest Farms in Belton, a hydroponic lettuce and leafy greens grower. The group toured the facility and followed the process from seedling to harvest. Educators learned about hydroponic food production systems and how the lettuce is grown, harvested, packaged and shipped through an automated process.

Ryan Trowbridge, an educator from Mansfield ISD, led a demonstration on how teachers can build their own hydroponic system in their classrooms with their students.

Educators visited Walker Honey Farm and learned about the honey extraction process. The visit left teachers buzzing with excitement about beekeeping and large-scale honey production.

At the AgriLife Extension Research Center in McGregor, teachers learned about beef cattle production and saw the cutting edge technology being used to monitor cattle. Dr. Ryon Walker discussed current studies being conducted at the research center and taught teachers how to formulate a feed ration.

Hands-on workshops, activities
During the Summer Ag Institute, various industry experts and fellow teachers facilitated hands-on activities and lessons the educators can mimic in their classrooms.

Michaelle Coker, a high school science teacher at Central Heights ISD, gave a group a lesson over DNA extraction where participants evaluated genotypes and phenotypes of cattle.

Seventh grade science teacher Lindsey Alleman plans to incorporate the lesson in her class next year. Alleman teaches at McCullogh Junior High, which is north of Houston, and is excited to share these new resources with her students to expose them to agriculture.

“Michaelle gave us advice on how to do the activity if we don’t have the same tools she does or who to contact to get the materials for our classroom,” Alleman said. “I’ve done a similar activity in my classroom, but now I can introduce it with breeds of cattle and bring in agriculture.”

In a session with Texas Tech Quail, teachers learned about a bobwhite’s life from egg to adulthood. The group saw the research being conducted using micro radio transmitters to study chick movement and habitat use data.

Teachers also heard from the National Ranching Heritage Center about resources available to use alongside Hank the Cowdog books.

Other sessions included information from a dairy farmer, forester and a visit with a local veterinarian about antibiotics and animal welfare, as well as learning how to use the resources available through TFB.

“Texas Farm Bureau gave us a lot of valuable tools and a lot of valuable activities and resources to help us bring agriculture in where we’re at and meet our students where they’re at,” Jordan Gates, a second-grade teacher at McGregor ISD, said.

Summer Ag Institute brings agriculture to Texas educators Teachers across Texas gathered for TFB’s Summer Ag Institute, visiting farms and ranches in Central Texas and bringing home free resources to implement agriculture in their classrooms.

Teacher experiences
Educators from urban and rural areas alike enjoyed the immersive experience.

Gates found the lessons and activities beneficial and the program exceeded his expectations.

“Summer Ag Institute has really gone above and beyond my expectations. I came in with an open mind, and we’ve seen so many cool things,” Gates said. “The presenters want you to succeed, and they’re willing to spend their time to help you and give you wisdom and lot of good resources to be successful.”

Gates looks forward to the next school year and implementing gardening in his classroom.

“One of the most valuable things I learned from the workshop was how to incorporate gardening in the classroom, whether that be hydroponics or traditional gardening,” Gates said. “That’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time and didn’t feel like I had the tools or resources available to do that.”

Agriculture starts on farms and ranches, but it happens in the classroom, too.

“I am a novice when it comes to agriculture. I didn’t realize how diverse agriculture is and how it impacts our daily lives,” Alleman said. “Teaching seventh grade, they’re in that transition stage of figuring out what they want to do when they go into high school. I think that all starts with a teacher and introducing them to different fields of study.”

Alleman is encouraged to learn more and bring those experiences to her students.

“I’m continually trying to grow and being able to expose myself to these different professions, different types of lessons that help me bring that education to my students can be inspiring to them to look at different avenues for their life and seeing how agriculture relates to everything,” Alleman said.

About the event
The event took place June 10-13 in Waco.

The Lubbock SAI will be held July 16-19 at the FiberMax Center for Discovery.

For more information on TFB’s Ag in the Classroom efforts, visit texasfarmbureau.org/aitc.

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Related Topics:ag education ag literacy education Featured Professional development Summer Ag Institute teacher workshops

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Texas

Texas governor issues plea to Thanksgiving travelers

Published

45 mins ago

November 28, 2024

Press Room

Texas governor issues plea to Thanksgiving travelers

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has urged drivers to remain vigilant during Thanksgiving travel to ensure safety on the roads.

On Tuesday, the governor wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “When you’re traveling to visit loved ones this Thanksgiving, remain vigilant on the road. Eliminate distractions and arrive at your destination safely.”

Abbott’s message included a repost of a Monday safety notice from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), which highlighted the dangers of distracted driving as a record 71 million Americans are set to travel for the holiday, the American Automobile Association (AAA) reported.

In its X post, the Texas DPS wrote: “Distracted driving is dangerous and preventable. This holiday season, keep your focus on the road. Check out today’s video for tips on how to minimize distractions and arrive safely.”

A video accompanying the DPS post featured Sergeant Bryan Washko who gave drivers a series of safety tips.

“Distracted driving is dangerous for you and everyone else on the road. Put your phone away, silence notifications, and store your phone out of reach while driving,” he said.

Washko added: “Limit in car distractions. Avoid activities that take your focus off the roads, such as eating, changing music, or reaching for items. Engage passengers. If you’re traveling with others, ask a passenger to help with tasks like navigation or phone calls. Taking these simple steps will help everyone have a safe and happy holiday season. From everyone here at DPS, happy holidays.”

Newsweek has contacted the DPS via email for comment.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott is seen in Austin, Texas, on June 8, 2021. Abbott has urged drivers to remain vigilant during Thanksgiving travel to ensure safety on the roads.

Eric Gay/ASSOCIATED PRESS

DPS has announced an increased traffic enforcement effort from Wednesday through Sunday to prioritize road safety during the Thanksgiving holiday.

Texas Highway Patrol will focus on violations such as driving while intoxicated, speeding, failing to wear seat belts, and ignoring the “Move Over, Slow Down” law, which protects emergency responders and others stopped on the side of the road.

“With Thanksgiving around the corner, we remind everyone to stay vigilant on the roads. There can be countless distractions this time of year, but your safety and the safety of others is what matters most,” DPS Director Steven McCraw stated in a Monday press release.

During last year’s Thanksgiving enforcement effort, DPS issued 41,093 warnings and citations, including 11,525 for speeding, 1,310 for driving without insurance, and 596 for seat belt violations.

Safety tips provided by DPS include eliminating distractions, buckling up, avoiding impaired driving, slowing down in poor conditions, and reporting hazards to law enforcement.

Drivers are also encouraged to monitor weather and road conditions online to plan their travel routes.

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Texas

Texas Football: How to watch, stream and listen to No. 3 Longhorns vs. No. 20 Texas A&M Aggies

Published

9 hours ago

November 28, 2024

Press Room

Texas Football: How to watch, stream and listen to No. 3 Longhorns vs. No. 20 Texas A&M Aggies

The renewal of the football rivalry between Texas and Texas A&M after more than a decade has high stakes attached to it with a berth in the SEC Championship Game on the line. Horns247 has everything fans need to know regarding how to watch, stream and listen to the No. 3 Longhorns and the No. 20 Aggies.

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Texas

Why Texas A&M’s Taurean York Has A Personal Vendetta vs. Texas Longhorns

Published

16 hours ago

November 27, 2024

Press Room

Why Texas A&M’s Taurean York Has A Personal Vendetta vs. Texas Longhorns

There might not be two rosters in America that are more familiar with one another than that of the Texas Longhorns and Texas A&M Aggies.

Between the two programs, there are 161 players from the state of Texas – the vast majority of whom played against at least one or multiple players on the other side in high school previously.

And as if that didn’t make the competition fierce enough, the Longhorns and Aggies will be facing off for the first time in 13 years this Saturday, with each of those players hoping to leave their mark on the rivalry.

That includes Aggies star linebacker Taurean York, who holds a personal vendetta against the Longhorns and cannot wait to see them on the field.

“I wanted the A&M offer,” York said Monday. “(Texas) stayed 50 minutes away from me. They came on a helicopter to see my best friend. … They weren’t paying me much attention. I didn’t invest too much in those guys anyways.”

York signed with Texas A&M as a three-star recruit out of Temple (TX), originally committing to Baylor before the Aggies offered late in the process.

Meanwhile, the Longhorns didn’t even extend the now-Aggies captain an offer, instead choosing to sign five other linebackers: five-star Anthony Hill, four-stars Derion Gullette, Leona Leafua, and Tasuli Akana, and three-star S’Maje Burrell.

And as York said over the summer, he took that personally.

“It’s personal, that’s all I have to say, it’s personal,” York said at SEC Media Days. “I don’t talk to anybody from Texas because it’s that personal to me. They didn’t recruit me and there are a lot of comparisons going on about me and Texas players. So I kinda put those rest in a sense.”

To be fair, the Longhorns hardly made a bad choice in the players they signed. Hill is arguably the best linebacker in the SEC, while Lefau is a key contributor and rising star on the defense. Not to mention, the Longhorns have high hopes for Akana and Gullette in the future.

In fact, only Burrell proved to be a bad investment by the Horns, after he was involved in an offseason drunk driving incident with former Longhorn T’Vondre Sweat, and was dismissed from the team.

Either way, York will now finally get his chance to face Texas on the field and prove why he believes they did make a mistake by not recruiting him during the 2023 cycle.

Kick off is set for 6:30 pm CT on ABC, with York hoping the Longhorns continue their trend of receiving the opening kick.

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