**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** OVER THE PASTFIFTY YEARS THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN RAISED ON THE FARM HAS DECREASED DRAMATICALLY. AS DECADES HAVE PASSED, CHILDREN HAVE BECOME TWO, THREE OR MORE GENERATIONS REMOVED FROM THE FARM. AGRICULTURE, WHILE NECESSARY TO ONE'S DAILY LIFE, IS NO LONGER A TOPIC OF RELEVANCE.MEANWHILE, FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS ARE UNDER THE CONSTRAINTS OF A GROWING POPULATION, PRESSURES ON NATURAL RESOURCES, AND COMPLEX DEMANDS OF ENSURING NUTRITIONAL SECURITY AND FOOD SAFETY IN A GLOBAL ECONOMY.ADDRESSING THESE CHALLENGES REQUIRES EDUCATION. MOST EDUCATORS ARE NOT TRAINED OR EQUIPPED TO TEACH THE FACTS AND IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE. NOR ARE THEY EXPOSED TO THE VAST CAREER OPPORTUNITIES RELATED TO AGRICULTURE AND THE STEM RELATED EDUCATION WHICH COULD SUPPORT FUTURE CAREER READINESS IN AGRICULTURE RELATED FIELDS.ILLINOIS AGRICULTURE IN THE CLASSROOM (IAITC) BRINGS A PROVEN AND EFFECTIVE DELIVERY MODEL THAT GETS OBJECTIVE AND SCIENTIFICALLY BASED AGRICULTURE CONTENT INTO THE HANDS OF TEACHERS IN EVERY COUNTY THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. IAITC MAINTAINS THAT TEACHERS WHO ARE EDUCATED ON TOPICS RELATED TO AGRICULTURE THAT ARE RELEVANT TO STUDENTS AND MEET STATE LEARNING STANDARDS ARE MORE LIKELY TO IMPLEMENT SUCH CURRICULAR RESOURCES. IAITC ALSO MAINTAINS THAT CHILDREN WHO ARE BETTER EDUCATED ON PRODUCTION AGRICULTURE, SPECIALTY CROPS AND OTHER LINKS TO AGRICULTURE IN THEIR DAILY LIVES WILL MAKE MORE INFORMED AND HEALTHIER FOOD AND LIFESTYLE CHOICES, MAKE BETTER DECISIONS AS THEY GROW OLDER IN REGARDS TO SPECIALTY FARM AND FOOD POLICY, AND UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE AND DIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE AND THE VAST ARRAY OF CAREERS AVAILABLE RELATED TO THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY.TEACHER TRAINING THROUGH SUMMER AGRICULTURAL ACADEMIES PROVIDE THE KEY INTRODUCTION OF AGRI SCIENCE MATERIALS AND ALLOW EDUCATORS TO FURTHER DEVELOP CREATIVE IDEAS, ANSWER QUESTIONS AND STIMULATE CONVERSATION RELATED TO AGRICULTURE EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, AND HOW TO ENGAGE STUDENTS IN FURTHERLEARNING ON THESE CONCEPTS. TRAINING TEACHERS IS ONE EFFECTIVE METHOD IAITC UTILIZES TO ENSURE THE STUDENT POPULATION IN ILLINOIS GAINS AGRICULTURAL LITERACY.THROUGH THIS GRANT, IAITC WILL EXECUTE A TOTAL OF 100 MULTI-DAY TEACHER TRAINING EVENTS THAT WILL INCREASE KNOWLEDGE FOR 2,000 EDUCATORS. IN TURN, THESE EDUCATORS WILL ENGAGE IN STUDENT EDUCATION, ALONG WITH IAITC STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS, WHO IN TOTAL WILL REACH 2.8 MILLION STUDENTS IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.$120,000
· FY2020 · National Institute of Food and Agriculture