New seed kit distributed to schools across Manitoba; 10 provincial branches now in operation.
When Brent Derkatch decided to join the board of Agriculture in the Classroom’s Manitoba branch (AITC-M), it was with not just students in mind, but those who teach them, too.
“It’s not just kids who sometimes have the wrong idea about what we do in ag. Teachers are often exposed to misinformation as well. Or they’re simply not exposed to agriculture on a daily basis,” says Derkatch, director of the pedigreed seed business unit for Canterra Seeds.
“By giving teachers valuable insights into how food is produced — industry volunteers really help do this — Agriculture in the Classroom has a much better chance of getting the right information in front of young students.”
Sue Clayton agrees. She’s executive director for AITC-M, which recently unveiled its new seed kits to elementary schools across the province. The kit features seeds from 15 prominent Manitoba crops, as well as a video and a variety of hands-on activities for students to do in the classroom.
“The more that teachers are able to understand and value the contribution of agriculture to society, and the more they realize the opportunities that there are for students in the ag industry, it really just benefits the whole education system,” Clayton says.
Derkatch has been an active volunteer in the seed industry, as well as AITC-M, for many years, and looks forward to giving back to the industry by supporting ag education through his role on the board and engaging with students.
“You can’t just go through a slide deck of pictures; young kids need something interactive that they can actually look at and touch. Then you can talk about all the ways seed is important to their lives,” Derkatch says.
“I like to ask questions like, ‘Does anybody like eating McDonald’s french fries?’ Then when they put their hand up you can say, ‘Did you know that french fries from McDonald’s are all cooked with canola oil?’ That’s when you get great engagement with the kids.”
It’s been a busy year for Agriculture in the Classroom from a national perspective, too. In March, AITC Canada premiered The Great Canadian Farm Tour, a month-long, virtual field trip for educators and students to connect with real farmers across Canada.
With 10 provincial branches (Quebec is the most recent province to join the fold), AITC Canada is gearing up for a busy year. Executive Director Johanne Ross says the pandemic helped increase AITC’s national reach. A new virtual platform is in the works for teachers to access in order to deliver learning into the classroom.
“It opens up a whole new world of opportunity for us to post courses for teachers, assignments for students, videos, you name it,” Ross says.
AITC is also revamping its thinkAG career exploration initiative. Students can use the thinkag.ca website to discover which ag-related career they might be most suited to.
For info on Agriculture in the Classroom, including how to get involved or donate, visit aitc-canada.ca or or aitc.mb.ca!
