Milton, Ontario – AgScape, a non-profit, charitable organization that provides innovative agriculture and food education for youth and educators across Ontario, is pleased to announce that its programs, resources and events reached over 100,000 youth and 600 classrooms during Canadian Agriculture Literacy Month (CALM).
Agriculture in the Classroom Canada (AITC-C), the national voice for agriculture education in Canada, created CALM in 2012 to increase awareness, understanding and appreciation of Canada’s remarkable agriculture and food story among youth in Canada. As the Ontario member of AITC-C, AgScape offered a wide range of free programs, resources and events during CALM in March that inspired youth to see their role within the modern food system and how they can make a social, economic and environmental impact through the agriculture and agri-food sector.
Through AgScape’s Teacher Ambassador Program, close to 2,000 grade 4-12 students received engaging, curriculum-linked lessons on agriculture and food through AgScape’s Teacher Ambassadors. Nearly 95,000 students were reached through AgScape’s Digital Resource Package and Teacher Discover Kits, which elementary and secondary school teachers received to access curriculum-linked lesson plans and activities for CALM. Also, nearly 5,000 students attended virtual field trips and events to learn about maple syrup production, beef farming, tractor dealerships and genomics in agriculture and food. Furthermore, AgScape’s Virtual Art Show, organized in collaboration with 4-H Ontario, received nearly 80 submissions that connected with the theme “Our Food Our Story.”
Additionally, AgScape hosted thinkAG Career Competitions at five secondary schools in collaboration with Waterloo Region District School Board, Lambton Kent District School Board and St. Clair Catholic District School Board, reaching nearly 2,000 grade 7-12 students in Baden, Chatham, Ridgetown, Petrolia, and Sarnia. These events allowed students to explore Ontario’s agriculture and food sector, discover diverse career pathways and meet industry representatives from 4-H Ontario, Beef Farmers of Ontario, County Line Equipment, Dairy Farmers of Ontario, Farm Credit Canada, Grain Farmers of Ontario, Great Lakes Grain, Ontario Federation of Agriculture, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and the University of Guelph.
“We are thrilled with the meaningful impact our programs, resources and events had on youth and educators across Ontario during Canadian Agriculture Literacy Month,” said Mira Lyonblum, Executive Director of AgScape. “As an organization dedicated to innovative agriculture and food education, we are committed to continuing this important work and ensuring that future generations have the knowledge and inspiration to build a sustainable, thriving agriculture and food sector in Ontario.”
Source : Agscape