MAEF Flash News - February 2008

 

 

 

MARYLAND AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION FOUNDATION, INC.          Promoting the understanding and appreciation of the importance of agriculture in our daily lives.   Flash News - February    We LOVE Agriculture! Dates to Remember: Feb. 2 - Groundhog Day   Feb. 7 - Maryland Agriculture Dinner   Feb. 14 - Valentine's Day   Feb. 18 - President's Day   Feb. 26 - MAEF Board Meeting & Professional Development   Feb. 29-March 2 - MD Home & Garden Show   March 1 - FFA Spring Judging Registration Deadline   March 29 - MDA Open House      Attention: Calling all students in grades K-12   Poster Contest   Share what you know about Maryland agriculture in a poster!   Your artistic entry may be selected to appear on the 2008-2009 Maryland Agriculture Education Foundation Calendar.  Deadline for entries is     May 1, 2008!  A $50 cash award will be awarded to each of the 18 selected entries. Visit www.maefonline.com for more information.     Support MAEF! Buy Ag Tags!  *Programs funded by Ag Tag revenues* Visit www.mva.state.md.us  for an application.    Reminder Ag in the Classroom Elementary Summer Workshop   Don't miss the opportunity to be part of the Ag in the Classroom workshop which will be held June 22-26, 2008.    The workshop is filling quickly so don't wait to register.  Visit us online for a registration form and additional information.    Check it out! 2008 Ag Day Essay Contest   for students in 7th-12th grade!   Deadline for entries is FEB. 15th   For more information visit www.hpj.com/agdayessay   Congratulations to MAEF President C. John Sullivan, III on his acceptance into the Leadership Maryland Class of 2008.    Join Our List Ag Returns to the City Senior Outreach        AG Returns to the City Senior Outreach presented programs at Good Samaritan Senior Housing and Assisted Living Residence in Baltimore.   Senior Activities Directors Linda Cofiell and Georgia Martin strive to provide clients with enrichment activities that stimulate memories and provide unique hands-on experiences. The ladies at the Senior Housing Center enjoyed a class on Assembly Line Antics to produce a fruit parfait.   Many residents relived a work experience or recalled the famous episode from the "I Love Lucy" show when Lucy lost control of the candy making line. Twenty-four ladies enjoyed working together to produce fruit parfaits made of yogurt, strawberries, blackberries, bananas and granola.   The diverse audience of clients, families, visitors and staff at the Assisted Living Residence enjoyed the Connecting to Agriculture lesson, Maryland Agricultural Commodities and  By-Products.  Participants also viewed MAEF's Take Me Out to The Cornfield video.   The activity most enjoyed by all was butter making. Each person enjoyed shaking a soufflé cup with heavy whipping cream until it turned to butter. Finally, clients sampled their creation on warm cornbread.       Important FFA Update     Due to space requirements, the date for the Spring Judging Event held at the University of Maryland has been changed to April 8, 2008.   Registration materials will be sent to chapters by the end of this month. This event is held in partnership with the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Maryland.  Six Career Development Events, Agronomy, Ag Mechanics, Dairy Foods, Food Science, Nursery Landscaping, and Vegetable Judging are held in various locations across campus. Contact Matt Koerner at (410) 767-0189 or mkoerner@msde.state.md.us for more information.   Middle School News   Snow and sleet could not keep teachers from the Virginia Middle School AgriScience Teachers' Conference held at Beverley Manor Middle School (BMMS) in Staunton, Virginia on Friday, January 18 - Saturday, January 19, 2008.  The Virginia Middle School agricultural teachers opened their doors and welcomed middle school educators from the surrounding states to join in the festivities.  Other attendees were middle school teachers from Pennsylvania and New Jersey, MAEF's Middle School Director Sarah Shriner, Kevin Keith and Josh Remington from the National FFA Organization and Amanda Cloud, intern from the United States Department of Education.  The workshop was headed up by Sally Shomo, Middle School teacher at BMMS and President Elect for the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE).  The conference boasted wonderful opportunities for networking and professional growth.   It began with Jeannie Layton-Dudding, teacher at Giles High School, who taught a lesson on making Deer Jerky in the classroom.  Dr. Rick Rudd of Virginia Tech shared  information on the different characteristics of people working in teams.  There was also a session presented by Paula Jesalva, Augusta County Public Schools, where teachers learned how to work more effectively with students who have English as a Second Language.  Josh Remington presented the Middle School FFA website that utilizes the cartoon character Garfield to educate on Middle School FFA, agricultural quizzes, career opportunities, cartoon creation and much more!  Heidi Martin, teacher at Massaponax High School, shared the NAAE Communities of Practice website.  The website allows for agricultural educators from across the country to sign up and share lesson plans, activities and ideas!  A much needed lesson on balancing all of the activities of professional life and personal life was given by Kevin Keith.  The conference was concluded with a very successful project and lesson plan sharing session.  Shriner shared MAEF's new program for middle school students called Mission Biotech.  The teachers will receive copies of the program once the final editing is complete. Shriner plans to utilize many of the activities and lessons in Maryland middle schools.    MAEF sends out a heart-felt thank you to the teachers of Virginia for allowing us to attend and to the Florida Fruit Association and the Florida Farm Bureau Marketing Division who sponsored the conference.   Ag Returns to the City Outreach Workshop for UMBC Pre-Service Teachers     Ag Returns to the City prepared a lesson, Teaching Agricultural Concepts in Social Studies, for students in Bill Fitzhugh's Teaching Social Studies in the Elementary School course at UMBC.   Students learned about MD agricultural commodities, the MD Digital Atlas, and other MAEF programs. They also participated in hands-on demonstrations involving graphing, butter making, and weaving wool. Students also received resources they could use in the classroom.