Summer Institute
The 2011 Food, Fiber and More AgriCULTURE in the Classroom Summer Institute will be held June 13-17th in Castle Rock and June 20-24 in Fort Collins. An advanced class that focuses on soil and water is scheduled for July 11 to 15 in Delta. To register for one of the classes, click on the link for the Institute you want to attend that is found on the right side of this page.
The Institute begins with a general agriculture introduction showing Colorado's history and economic reliance on this industry. The connection between wildlife and agriculture, water and agriculture and the land and agriculture are explored along with alternative or non-traditional agriculture occupations. Issues and concerns facing agricultural producers are outlined and in some cases reinforced by producers hosting the group throughout the week. Resource materials ranging from posters to classroom activity packets are provided to attendees.
The highlight of the Institute is the day spent one-on-one working with an agriculture producer. Depending on their host, participants found themselves driving tractors, checking cattle, bottle-feeding calves, repairing fences, learning how computers are being utilized in management and planning, planting cucumbers, helping with irrigating and more. The opportunity to interact and be part of an agriculture producer’s day has proven to be the link that pulls all the information supplied over the week together. Comments about the day "walking in another person's boots" included Marika Rywak saying, "This was a wonderful hands-on experience that I'll never forget." Mamie Garceo said, "This was the most educational day because of the hands-on approach. I actually helped the farmer!" And she learned from Loren and Kim Martin of Windsor about the daily operations of a farm, the location of the water source, how subdivisions are threatening the life of the farm and about the passion of this farm family towards what they do. Erin Riley summed it up, "I had a great experience!" and rated the day a plus.
The conclusion to the week is the Food, Land and People workshop. Educators receive the FLP Resources for Learning CD and are involved in hands-on demonstrations of selected activities. Participants complete the course by developing classroom units integrating agriculture and academic curriculum.
The Institute is a unique graduate-level credit course offered through Colorado State University continuing education program. The one-on-one involvement is possible because Young Farmers, county Extension, county Farm Bureau members, and CattleWomen and Cattlemen volunteer their time and resources to host educators and to share their areas of knowledge and expertise.
Participants leave the course realizing that agriculture is a driving force in Colorado's economy that is undergoing rapid changes because of growth, water and technology. They have the opportunity to see practical applications of using agriculture as a theme to teach other academic curriculum in ways to maintain and stimulate their students' interests in math, science, history, civics and economics. They also learn there are many resources available to them.
Again this year, scholarships are provided to offset the cost of course registration. Colorado Beef Council, Colorado Farm Bureau, county Farm Bureaus, CattleWomen organizations, Conservation Districts, Colorado Greenhouse Growers, Colorado Sheep and Wool Authority, Western Dairy Council and many others sponsored individuals. Director Bette Blinde says, "It’s because there is a team effort that we are able to improve agricultural literacy in Colorado and provide educators this opportunity."
