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Spotlight on Youth - May 17, 2017
Environmental contests focus on conservation
 
EMMITSBURG, Md. — Thousands of high school teams were put to the test last month in regional environmental competitions in about 40 states, attempting to advance to their state Envirothons and ultimately to the National Envirothon. Shown here are students competing April 25 in southwest Ohio.

Students competed in the areas of Aquatics, Wildlife, Forestry, Soils and a Current Environmental Issue (CEI). This year’s CEI was “Agricultural Soil and Water Conservation Stewardship.”  The tests are physically and mentally challenging, ranging from conducting measurements on trees to answering questions on paper. Questions are designed by experts in each field, which include Soil Scientists from the Natural Resources Conservation Services and experts from the state agriculture and natural resources departments.
 
“This is a great opportunity for students to put concepts into practice in a true context,” said Kristen Lauer, education/information specialist for the Montgomery Soil and Water Conservation District. “Concepts become very real when students get to use them outside while working on questions written by professionals in each area of testing.”
 
This annual competition involves thousands of students. For example, 80 teams entered the 18-county regional event that Lauer helped organize, and that region was just one of five in Ohio. Statewide competitions are in June, and about 40 winning teams will advance to the 2017 National Envirothon, which will be July 23-29 in Emmitsburg, Md.

Illinois Pork Leadership Institute gears up
 
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois Pork Leadership Institute (IPLI) is a summer trip intended for students ages 16-22 interested in the pork industry and agritourism. The trip will take place June 26-29. Illinois Pork Producers Assoc. has a beginning list of activities on its website along with the application. Some of the highlights this year are: Tours of Quincy Farm Products, Purina Mills and Moon Ridge Foods, Mastermind Escape Room,

 “Taste of STL” food tour, cooking class, and more. Interested students need to fill out the application and turn it in to the IPPA office (or by email to jenny@ilpork. com) by June 1. Cost of the trip is only $100; the rest is sponsored. They can take up to 30 students. To learn more about IPLI and find the application, visit http://ilpork.com/about/pork-youth/article/il-porkleadership-institute
 
FFA Alums award scholarships at Pettisville
 
PETTISVILLE, Ohio — The Pettisville FFA Alumni and Friends group awarded five college scholarships this spring.
 
Receiving the college scholarships were:
 
•Chrysta Beck, daughter of Beth Ann and Dave Beck, rural Wauseon. Chrysta is a junior at Mississippi State University majoring in poultry science and minoring in Spanish.

•Dustin Nofziger, son of Cathy and Jeff Nofziger, rural Wauseon. Dustin is attending Northwest State Community College majoring in business with a minor in accounting.

•Hannah Meller, daughter of Gene and Donna, rural Wauseon. Hannah attends The Ohio State
University majoring in animal science and agricultural communications.

Receiving the graduating senior scholarships are:

•Lynnsey Crouch, daughter of Jeremy and Kim Crouch,
rural Wauseon. Lynnsey will be attending the University of Findlay majoring in animal science.
•Ben Gray, son of Brian and Susan, Napoleon. Ben will be attending Mount St. Joseph University majoring in biology and natural sciences.
 
FFA Alumni Affiliates were formed to operate in support of the over 7,757 local chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Their purpose is to help today’s agricultural youth by joining together in a united volunteer effort to assist FFA, promote a greater knowledge of the agricultural industry, and support education in local agricultural education programs.
 
Book: Future-ready education revolution
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In addition to battling budget restrictions, crowded classrooms and tuition costs, teachers and professors are facing a fight to prepare students to think deeply and confront the unprecedented global-scale challenges, from sea level rise and erratic weather to climate-driven migration and conflicts. To help students navigate the turbulent century ahead educators need tools for an education revolution. The Worldwatch Institute’s EarthEd: Rethinking Education on a Changing Planet has created one of those tools showing the path forward for truly future-ready learning (www.worldwatch.org).
 
EarthEd explores how education must evolve to prepare students for the dual challenges of building a sustainable society and adapting to an unavoidably changing planet. “The authors in this volume are among the leaders at the forefront of environmental education,” writes David W. Orr, Paul Sears Distinguished Professor Emeritus and Counselor to the President at Oberlin College. “The stories, research, and insight that follow will inspire by the examples, models, and sheer dedication and perseverance.”
 
Book helps children learn about hay, cattle AUSTIN, Texas — Busy on the Farm: with Casey & Friends, the sixth in a series of books for children ages four through eight, is a fun and entertaining yet educational story about caring for livestock.
 
It helps children understand the connection between agriculture and food production, while highlighting the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) used every day in farming. With its entertaining and whimsical cartoon characters and educational content, Busy on the Farm can help both farm and nonfarm children learn about modern agriculture.
 
“Science and technology are at the heart of agricultural development,” says Holly Dufek, author of the Casey & Friends series. “Including STEM aspects of agriculture was a natural fit, and the book exposes young children to agriculture and science with the hope of exciting them about both.”
 
Casey the Farmer, a woman, is the narrator in all the books. “During library readings, it’s amazing how many boys remark that girls can’t be farmers,” says Dufek. “We didn’t initially cast the farmer as female, but as the first book evolved it became a way to show boys, and especially girls, that anyone can be a farmer or work in agriculture.”
 
“Even though the number of farms continues to decline, the agricultural industry has many programs promoting the wide range of career opportunities available in STEM and agriculture,” notes Dufek. “Since there currently aren’t National Common Core Standards in science for children before middle school, the series can help fill that gap for this age group.” 
5/18/2017