Press Release (for immediate release) (photo attached is Gary Barton and
chapters)
June 12, 2009
Contact: Beth Bakke Stenehjem, Executive Director
(701) 471-5004 (cell)
Monsanto’s
Rebuilding the Classroom Program
Bismarck, ND – Fifteen FFA Chapters from North Dakota
and Minnesota received grant funds last week at the ND State FFA Convention
from Monsanto. While recognizing that AgriScience is the fastest
growing career field within agriculture, currently employing 28.8% of all
agriculturists; Monsanto developed the “Rebuilding the Classroom Grant
Program” to assist FFA chapters in their attempt to put science tools in the
hands of agriculture education classes.
Beth
Bakke Stenehjem, Executive Director of the ND FFA Foundation said, “Schools
are always in need of more equipment and the newest curriculum. With the
added pressure for students to perform at higher levels on high stakes
standardized tests and the natural fit for agriculture teachers to teach
science in an applied or contextual setting, the need for teachers to use high
quality equipment and instruction has increased. We welcome this
partnership with Monsanto as a way to make that happen.”
"As a company focused solely on agriculture,
Monsanto is committed to supporting ag youth and investing in the future of
farming," said Gary Barton, a Monsanto ag educator who presented the
grants. "Attaining our goal of helping farmers double yields by the
year 2030 to meet the world's growing food, energy and fiber needs will
require continued scientific and technology advances that this grant program
is designed to support."
This program also focuses on the importance of
greenhouses in the education of science. Monsanto awarded a
total of $15,000 to the following FFA chapters:
 | Beulah
FFA - funding to purchase microscopes in order to study leaf and cell
structure
|
| Bismarck
FFA - funding for soil testing kits to test soil for proper application of
nutrients
| Central
Cass FFA – funding for a digital scale to study soil science,
groundwater model, and a terrarium
| Divide
County FFA – funding for a fertilizer injector and plants to stock their
greenhouse
| Fessenden/
Bowdon FFA – funding for supplies for hydroponics and propagation of
plants
| Garrison
FFA – funding for an electric heat controller and water/irrigation
controller to help maintain greenhouse work all year round
| Grand
Rapids FFA (MN) – funding towards finishing a gazebo type greenhouse
| Granville
FFA – funding towards curriculum, microscopes, a soil hydrometer, test
tubes, pipettes, and beaker sets
| Maddock
FFA – funding towards microscopes, a digital scale, soil hydrometer,
temperature meter
| McClusky
FFA – funding for a spectrophotometer to study soil samples.
| Minot
FFA – funding towards a filtration system and filter kit to help keep
greenhouse running properly
| New
Rockford/ Sheyenne FFA – funding for heating equipment for the
greenhouse
| Oakes/
Sargent Central FFA – funding towards an automatic watering system and
fertilizer injection system to help provide precise measurements of water
and fertilizer for experiments
| Rolette
FFA – funding for heat mats, thermostat, temperature meter, and
environmental quality test kit to sample water quality, soil quality, and
air pollution in field plots
| Wishek
FFA - funding towards curriculum for landscape class
|
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ND FFA Foundation