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| Spotlight on Youth - March 10, 2010 |
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Triton Central High School receives grant from Monsanto
FAIRLAND, Ind. — Triton Central High School will become the first school in the nation to offer a unique, new approach to teaching agriscience. Triton, which will become Tiger New Technology High School, has received a $10,000 grant from the Monsanto Fund to support a combined and innovative biology and agriculture course. Stewart Seeds, Greensburg, Ind., spearheaded the effort to get the grant.
“This grant provides a great opportunity to support education and invest in agriculture’s future. We want to help develop the next generation of agriculture scientists,” says Jim Stewart, president. “Tiger New Technology’s initiative aligns well with Monsanto Fund’s goals of supporting innovative approaches to science education to enhance students understanding and enthusiasm for science.”
The initiative requires that every freshman entering Tiger New Tech take the agriscience course, which blends Introduction to Biology with Fundamentals of Agriculture. Two teachers will team together to make biology come alive and relevant for students by incorporating agricultural applications to biological principles. The approach will allow students to practice the principles of biology through agriculture projects.
“We are shifting to teaching methods that prepare students for a global and information based society. We will engage students in project-based curricular units with real world application that emphasizes teamwork,” say Scott Kern, director of Tiger New Tech. “Students will be evaluated on state standards, but also on work ethic, teamwork, critical thinking, oral, written and technology literacy. Students will develop time management, planning, leadership, and problem solving skills using real community-based situations.
Tiger New Tech plans to partner with various community groups, higher education institutes and businesses like Stewart to support the class. Already, partnerships have been established with a major soybean processor and the local soil and water conservation association so that students might research specific, local projects.
“We hope to expand those relationships as our program develops. It is our intent to become a major agriscience resource for the community,” says Kern. “The governor of Indiana has indicated that this is a model that all schools in the state should incorporate.
We anticipate that educators and business people from across the country will come and visit on a regular basis to learn more about how our program works.”
Stewart looks forward to watching the program’s development and contributions. “Tiger New Tech will allow students to learn skills for the 21st century job market while discovering academic standards through technology and high interest projects,” he sums. “We are committed to supporting this type of education in communities where we do business because it can only foster agricultural success for all of us.” |
| 3/17/2010 |
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