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One ALL STAR will be selected each year to be the recipient of the ALL Star Driver Award. The winner will attend the US Agriculture in the Classroom conference all expenses paid. What is an ALL STAR? A teacher that is NOMINATED for showing leadership in agriculture education by initiating a unique agriculture literacy project. (Some examples are; Grade 11 Agriculture course, Farmer pen pal, AAA jeopardy game, agriculture literacy committee member, Organizer of a MIMB or other AITC sanctioned event) Benefits of being an All Star include;
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Meet our |
Read about their adventure and experiences at the |
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2013
L to R: Tracey Shelton, AITC-M Director Vanessa Thibault, 2013 Award Winner Johanne Ross, AITC-M Executive Director |
Vanessa Thibault is the Kindergarten and Literacy Support teacher at Marion School in Winnipeg. Vanessa coordinated "Everything grows!", a school-wide, year-long theme at Marion School focussed on growing. She incorporated many AITC-M programs into this theme including: Amazing Agriculture Adventure, Made in Manitoba Breakfast, Little Green Thumbs, Seeds that Feed and Canadian Agriculture Literacy Week . In her role as a literacy teacher, Vanessa has maintained a keen focus on student literacy learning with this growing project. The students have been developing their writing skills as they document the growing they observe in their journals. They write stories, read poetry and sing about growing regularly. The gardens have also inspired beautiful artwork and teachers have been able to link the growing theme across many curricular areas. Students celebrated their learning and growing through songs, stories and dance at assemblies and on colourful bulletin board displays that brightened the hallways of the school. Families will be invited to view their children's work, participate in hands on activities, look at the gardens, and help plant the school's outdoor garden as well at Marion School's year end annual Family Learning Evening. In the words of nominator David Briggs: “We are extremely grateful to Vanessa for providing so much leadership, guidance and support. Marion school would also like to thank the Agriculture in the Classroom organization for inspiring Vanessa and for assisting our school with this wonderful learning theme and allowing us to participate in ALL of your programs.” |
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2012
L to R: Peter Veenendaal, 2011 Award Winner, Adriano Magnifico, 2012 Award Winner |
Adriano Magnifico is the Program Head and English teacher in the Career Internship Program (CIP) at Windsor Park Collegiate. Adriano is an ardent supporter of AITC-M. In particular, over 100 of his CIP students have volunteered at our Winnipeg Amazing Agriculture Adventure gaining valuable insight into the Ag industry and meeting interesting professionals from the Ag sector. Adriano's 15 year association with MAFRI and the ag industry has opened his eyes and in turn his students' to the possibilities within the ag industry. Through internships and volunteer experiences the students have gained transferable skills and positive work ethics and our industry has benefitted from the value that these students have brought to agricultural worksites and Ag education activities. This association has definitely been a win-win for all involved including and most importantly the students. |
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2011
L to R: Derek Baschuk, 2010 Award Winner, Peter Veenendaal, 2011 Award Winner, Johanne Ross, Exec, Director, AITC-M |
Peter Veenendaal is a grade 10 teacher from Immanuel Christian School in Winnipeg. Peter was nominated by his peers and is certainly a worthy recipient. |
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2010
L to R: Johanne Ross, Exec. Director, AITC-M Derek Baschuk, 2010 Award Winner Sue Clayton U of M Faculty of Agriculture & Food Science |
Derek Baschuk is a teacher from Garden Valley Collegiate Technical Education Campus. “Derek Baschuk is an innovative high school teacher who developed a technical agriculture certificate program for Grade 11 and 12 students. The Agriculture Technology Program at Garden Valley Collegiate in Winkler was Derek's brainchild.” stated Sue Clayton, Community Liaison Coordinator for the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences , U of M. “He was the main curriculum writer for 12 of the 15 credit courses. Once he wrote them, he submitted them for approval to Manitoba Education Citizenship and Youth and they are now official courses that can be taught anywhere in Manitoba. Once a student achieves 8 courses, they can get a Technical Vocational Certificate to go along with their high school diploma. Derek is passionate about agriculture and wants young people to see the tremendous future afforded them if they pursue their education. He does an excellent job of engaging high school students in agriculture and promoting all the dynamic and exciting career options that the industry has to offer.” |
Calling all Manitoba Teachers
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Rendezvous in the Rockies 2012
Trudy and I found our attendance at Rendezvous in the Rockies in Loveland Colorado an amazing experience. Meeting attendees from all over the United States, each with their own experiences and specialties concerning agriculture in their home states, showed us how large the ag industry is and how it impacts so greatly on so many North Americans. The hotel facilities, workshops, field trips, transportation, meals, and everything else were of a very high calibre.
As Canadians, we were warmly welcomed by everyone. Many went home with our little gifts of Canadian flags, Winnipeg pins or other Canadian mementos, hopefully to promote our country in classrooms where we are hardly recognized.
Because next year's conference is in Minnesota, not far from home, we hope that many industry representatives will take the time to attend this conference. From the time, effort, and expense the American Agriculture industry puts into promoting their contributions to their country, we can learn many more ways in which we can do this in Manitoba and in all of Canada.
Thanks very much to the Ag in the Classroom organization for giving us this wonderful experience that we will never forget. |
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Oranges, Orchids & Alligators 2011! This headline is not really the agriculture we think of in Manitoba but they all have their place in Florida. Fort Lauderdale, Florida was the location of the 2011 U.S. National AITC Conference. As part of receiving the 2010 All Star Driver Award, I was able to represent Manitoba and learn how teachers from around the U.S. are using agriculture to engage students.
While students and teachers in Manitoba were busy with end of school year activities from June 22nd to 25th, I was learning about the diversity of crops, agri-tourism, and how schools are able to integrate these resources and many others in the day-to-day activities of students. One of the most interesting activities for me was comparing the energy (light) requirements of plants during photosynthesis versus solar cells. This activity will be used in my Grade 10 Science classes once I modify the information for local plant species. Attending this conference was great and I am glad I was given the opportunity to represent Manitoba teachers. If you know of a teacher that is demonstrating agricultural leadership in their teaching, nominate them for the award and allow them to share their ideas and activities with other leaders in our schools. Next year’s national conference will be hosted by the Colorado Foundation for Agriculture and is set to be held June 19 – 22, 2012 in Loveland, Colorado. |
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2010 Award Winner,
