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Spotlight on Youth - July 26, 2008 |
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Rolling Stones rocker calls for more ag education
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today’s children are increasingly disconnected from the natural world and schools can play a big role in fixing this. That’s the message Chuck Leavell, Rolling Stones keyboardist, shared during his keynote address at the Ag in the Classroom conference in Costa Mesa, Calif., this week. Leavell addressed the teachers present not as a musician but as a Georgia tree farmer and the author of the 2007 American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture Book of the Year The Tree Farmer.
Leavell told the group of more than 500 attendees he wrote his book in response to what he calls “nature-deficit disorder,” where younger generations don’t understand or appreciate nature and agriculture. He adds that classrooms are the ideal place to fix this but teachers are facing increased pressure to teach towards standardized tests.
“Programs like Ag in the Classroom and the American Forest Foundation’s Project Learning Tree help educators make outdoor experiences part of their everyday lesson plans,” Leavell said. “They teach core subjects through experiences in nature and show that learning through environmental education is not incompatible with math and reading instruction.” He adds that this method has also been shown to improve test scores.
Agriculture in the Classroom is a grassroots program coordinated by the Agriculture Department. Through presentations and teacher resources, the program aims to help students gain a greater awareness of the role of agriculture in the economy and society.
Leavell’s book accomplishes this by accurately portraying tree farmers as conservationists and discussing the many uses of trees, from building houses to creating musical instruments.
Randolph county FFA chapters visit Camp Yale
WINCHESTER, Ind. — On April 30, the Monroe Central FFA Chapter joined by Union City and the Randolph Central FFA Chapters, gathered at Camp Yale in Winchester, Ind., for a day filled with diverse types of fun. This second annual event was sponsored by the Randolph County Farm Bureau to promote leadership training in a positive learning environment. Monroe Central FFA had 13 members in attendance.
Buses were provided by the various schools to ship students to Camp Yale. Once there, students were pulled together randomly in different groups where they would walk to different obstacles throughout the day. All activities performed required a sense of teamwork and cooperation. Communication skills, leadership, and volunteerism were also necessary to complete each task at hand. When groups finished each activity, the reaction was usually very positive and the feeling of accomplishment sets in.
FFA members took a break when they were bused over to Husted Hall for lunch provided by the Randolph County Farm Bureau. Following lunch, each group was faced with yet another task that was thought up by a few of the Indiana FFA state officer team members. Students were told to construct a device that would protect an egg from a high drop, and they were only given select materials to work with. Once again, each activity promoted teamwork and leadership.
The Indiana State FFA officers that joined the chapters for the day included Secretary Blake Stowers, Sentinel Addison Lopp, Southern Region Vice President Kevin Cross, Northern Region Vice President Rachel Demaree and Reporter Jill Riley.
DFA Mideast announces at-large scholarship winners
FAIRLAWN, Ohio — The cost of attending college is never an easy burden, but thanks to Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), a handful of Mideast area students will find the burden a bit less difficult to bear. The Mideast Area Council has awarded six $750 at-large scholarships for the upcoming school year.
According to Mideast Area Chief Operating Officer Dennis Rodenbaugh, DFA is proud to help these hardworking students pursue their scholastic ambitions.
“Hard work builds character, and nowhere is it more evident than with this outstanding group of students,” said Rodenbaugh. “They truly reflect the commitment to excellence we’ve come to expect from our DFA members.”
DFA Mideast Area would like to congratulate the following students on their receipt of an at-large scholarship for the 2008-2009 school year: Rob Breyley, Wellington, Ohio; Kurt Hubbell, Brownsville, Ind.; Dale Hogue, Adamsville, Ohio; Cheryl Scott, Shelbyville, Ky.; Eric Hoying, Minster, Ohio and Jonathan Scott, Shelbyville, Ky.
Southmont FFA competes in small engines contest
CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. — On April 30, the Southmont FFA Small Engines teams participated in the district contest.
The teams consisted of Ashann Paxton and Tony Holland on one team, and Patrick Fletcher and J.R. Clayburn on the other team. The contest requires the team to assemble and start an engine in 75 minutes. They also had to take a quiz on safety, and engine operating procedures; and participate in 5 skill stations.
Individually, participants must use a service manual to determine specifications for a selected engine, and identify 25 engine parts and tools from a list of over 200.
The team of Ashann Paxton and Tony Holland placed 1st, and the team of Patrick Fletcher and J.R. Clayburn placed 2nd out of 4 teams. The 1st place team participated at section contest at Lewis Cass High School on May 14th. The team of Ashann Paxton, and Tony Holland placed 2nd at the section contest. The top 3 teams at the section contest qualified for the state finals. Last year, the team placed second at section and third at state. |
| 7/18/2008 |
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