Did you know that Alaska is home to an Agriculture in the Classroom program? Learn more in this edition of Ag Matters Radio with Amy and her guest Mel Sikes, Alaska Ag in the Classroom Coordinator.
AUTHOR | Kerry Nelson
Mel Sikes came up to Alaska in 2006 when her husband decided to chase the job of Curator of Insects at the University of Alaska Fairbanks museum. Another story for another day, perhaps. She herself became the Natural Resources Education Specialist at Fairbanks Soil & Water Conservation District. Part of FSWCD’s work involves solving issues in agriculture and working closely with local farmers. Mel shares how she fell into the role of Alaska Ag in the Classroom Coordinator and what this incredibly important program entails.
Strong Support Builds Alaska Ag In The Classroom
Alaska Ag in the Classroom is a nonprofit educational program started by the Alaska Farm Bureau over twenty years ago. It’s mission is to provide Alaska’s students a better understanding of where their food truly comes from. Mel had already been instituting the lessons in an after school program when the opportunity to manage the program became available.
The role of Alaska Ag in the Classroom Coordinator is to teach teachers how to add the lessons into their curriculum. Like any nonprofit, you not only need money, you need a champion. Alaska Farm Bureau has been a strong supporter of the program since the beginning. Mel reflects on how it wouldn’t be there without them or the groundwork laid by her predecessor.
The Alaska Division of Agriculture has also supported Alaska Ag in the Classroom for many years. The first Tuesday in May is Alaska Ag Day. Each year, teachers and communities are encouraged to do something in the classroom to help celebrate it. If you are doing anything in your classroom or community, you can register with the Division of Ag to win a prize. Any activity that brings attention to agriculture in Alaska counts! The Alaska Ag in the Classroom website offers a handy list of suggested activities to prepare teachers for their next Alaska Ag Day celebration.
Alaska Ag In The Classroom Continues To Bridge The Gap
With a strongly supported foundation to lean on, Mel continues the important work of Ag in the Classroom alongside her role at Fairbanks Soil & Water Conservation District. FSWCD believes that it’s very important for kids to be connected to where their food, fabrics and fuels come from. Many children are detached from the concept. Most are now multiple generations removed from the farm. Families rely on large grocery stores to supply them with what they need. It was once commonplace to know your local farmer. It’s now accepted that our goods appear on the shelves somehow, with little understanding of the process.
Alaska Ag in the Classroom attempts to help bridge that gap. It gives educators access to completely free, certified lesson plans that fit within curriculum guidelines for both state and national standards. Plans cater to levels K-12, and include a variety of topics that range from gardening basics to the chemistry and composition of milk. A lot of the plans have been tailored to Alaska-specific agriculture, and new lessons are added each year. A newly released set of lessons on Alaska indoor gardening curriculum – including hydroponics and aquaponics – is now available!
The lessons try to take all of Alaska’s different ecosystems into consideration. That said, there may not be locally based resources in each town. If you are a teacher who wants to know more about ag in your area, Mel is the starting point. You can reach out to her at alaska.agintheclassroom@gmail.com.
Teaching The Teachers
Alaska Ag in the Classroom offers workshops to equip teachers on how to best integrate the lesson plans. In the beginning of each workshop there is an introduction to Alaska agriculture. Educators then explore what is happening in the community where the workshop takes place. In Fairbanks, for example, teachers will tour the garden at UAF and the Large Animal Research Station (LARS). The workshops always try to set up a visit to a place that teachers wouldn’t have thought to classify as a farm. Like their students, many teachers have never set foot on a farm before – it’s about connecting them too.
A different lesson is integrated each day as they visit farms and farmers, talking about the different ways of bringing it back into the classroom. At the end of each workshop, teachers walk away with a jump drive and a binder full of lessons to get them started. Mel plans to offer one near the end of August/early September in Fairbanks this year, pending funding. She’s also working on a number of other offerings. You can contact her at any time to help set up a workshop in your community!
Alaska Ag In The Classroom Is The Future Of Alaska
Alaska Ag in the Classroom is the perfect addition to all of the new indoor and outdoor school gardens popping up around the state. Kids are exposed to hands-on learning about something fun and unique to Alaska. They get to see and experience how amazing farmers are and how much goes into putting food on their tables. Mel believes that this will have an impact on kids to become Alaska Grown endorsers from the start, growing up to support our local farmers. It’s a win for our food security, economy and future generations. It’s a win for Alaska.
If you’d like to reach out to Mel, she can be contacted at alaska.agintheclassroom@gmail.com, or 907-479-1213 x105. You can also find her information through the National Agriculture in the Classroom website.