The ND FFA Foundation is dedicated to providing opportunities that foster leadership development and personal growth for FFA members across the state. It’s the core of our mission! Did you know the Foundation also provides resources for ag educators and others in the agriculture sector whose work aligns with our mission?
The Ag in the Classroom grant program is offered in partnership with the North Dakota Department of Agriculture. Each year, any organization or individual may apply to receive funding for developing and conducting educational materials and programs to help young people understand the importance of agriculture in North Dakota and in their lives. The Stanley FFA Chapter took that mission seriously.
Program: Stanley FFA Chapter
Teacher: Bailey Hawbaker & Rivers Bachman
Impact: 425 total participants (375 elementary students, 50 FFA members)
Purpose: To educate students about how food is made, where it comes from, and the role agriculture plays in their everyday lives.
Objectives:
- Teach students about the origin and importance of various agricultural commodities.
- Demonstrate how food gets from farm to table.
- Create engaging, grade-specific learning experiences through food sampling and educational activities.
Through PowerPoint presentations and taste testing, each grade level explored a different agricultural commodity:
- Kindergarten: Soil → Dirt cups
- 1st Grade: Wheat → Pizza
- 2nd Grade: Chicken → Chicken nuggets
- 3rd Grade: Corn → Popcorn
- 4th Grade: Pork → Little smokies
- 5th Grade: Dairy → Homemade butter
- 6th Grade: Beef → Hamburgers
Each class also participated in related learning activities, like coloring sheets, to reinforce the lesson.
The feedback from teachers and students was overwhelmingly positive. “The kids had a blast and walked away knowing more about where their food comes from,” one teacher noted. Even the local newspaper ran a story on the event, highlighting its educational value and community engagement.
This creative project not only made agriculture fun and approachable for young students, it also gave FFA members an opportunity to lead and teach, reinforcing their own agricultural knowledge and leadership skills. It’s a perfect example of how the Ag in the Classroom program helps grow awareness, confidence, and curiosity across all age levels.
