Agriscience Education Leadership Program Begins Hands-on Learning Tour

Randall Weiseman Ag "Outdoors", Aquaculture, Cattle, Citrus, Field Crops, Florida, Forestry, General, Industry News Release, Livestock, Nursery Crops, Specialty Crops

From the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services:

FDACSTALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Agriscience Education Leadership Program, which is administered by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, is kicking-off the first of its learning tours on Thursday, Oct. 22. The program helps agriscience teachers, science teachers and administrators improve their agriscience programs to provide quality agricultural education for students. This program allows participants to expand their curriculum to include all components of agriculture and helps lay a strong foundation that students can build on.

Nominated by school district superintendents and reviewed by a selection committee, middle and high school agriscience teachers, science teachers or administrators are chosen to participate each year. More than 180 teachers have graduated from the program since its inception and are using knowledge they gained to better prepare their students for the workforce and postsecondary education.

The participants travel four times throughout the year to various areas of the state. Each trip consists of touring agricultural operations, meeting with industry representatives, understanding Florida’s natural resources, examining environmental opportunities and engaging in leadership development. Participants get to see diverse aspects of agriculture first-hand, including: forestry, fruits and vegetables, row crops, nursery and landscape, livestock, aquaculture and more.

Class XIII, 2015-2016, is comprised of the following:

• Christina Pryor, DeSoto County High School, DeSoto County
• Buddy Coleman, Turkey Creek Middle School, Hillsborough County
• Greg Lehman, Barrington Middle School, Hillsborough County
• Brittany Andrews, Randall Middle School, Hillsborough County
• Stephanie Dunlap, Lake Minneola High School, Lake County
• Cacee Ford-Hilliard, West Port High School, Marion County
• Loretta Young, Marion County- Career & Tech Edu Dept., Marion County
• Atisha Jackson, Coconut Palm K-8 Academy, Miami-Dade County
• Zuleika Hubble, Timber Creek High School, Orange County
• Erin Farquhar, Wesley Chapel High School, Pasco County
• Mary Ward, Suwannee High School, Suwannee County
• Sondra McCulloch, T. DeWitt Taylor Middle/High School, Volusia County

For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FreshFromFlorida.com.