by Caroline Taylor
MCA is honored to be part of the Mobile Ag Science Lab effort with the Farm Bureau- every single MoCo elementary school will have a visit from this education resource on wheels. Read the press release below.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Release Date: August 21, 2015
Contact: Tom Hartsock, 301-253-9528, [email protected]
Montgomery County to Roll Out Mobile Ag Science Lab at Back to School Fair
August 29, 2015, 11am-2pm
All Montgomery County’s elementary students will soon gain important hands-on experience with farming and food issues right at their own elementary schools thanks to the collaborative effort of Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation(MAEF), County Council, Montgomery County Public Schools, Montgomery’s Ag Services, County Farm Bureau (MCFB) and Montgomery Countryside Alliance (MCA). “This incredible partnership is unique and we hope other counties follow Montgomery’s example” said MCFB’s Tom Hartsock, who also serves on MAEF’s Board.
Background
Montgomery County Farm Bureau and Montgomery Countryside Alliance initiated this request in response to the recommendations that emerged from the Farming at Metro’s Edge Conference held in 2013. This program represents an extraordinary opportunity to ensure that every Montgomery County elementary student, through each 4-5 year cycle, will learn about agriculture, our extraordinary 93,000 acre Ag Reserve, Montgomery County’s 540 farms and their food system without the time and expense of off-site field trips. “Connecting our children with farms and food through this classroom experience will yield brighter kids with smarter stomachs,” says MCA’s Executive Director Caroline Taylor
What is the Ag Mobile Science Lab?
This state-of-the-art lab on wheels comes with an instructor and all the resources needed to get kids learning about their food system. Using the scientific method, kids solve real world problems faced by farmers and food producers. The labs are subsidized by income from the sale of “Ag Tags”, those attractive Maryland license plates featuring a farm scene.
The Rollout:
Join Montgomery County Council Members, MCPS staff, local agricultural support groups and a bunch of curious kids and others as the MAEF Mobile Science Lab is “rolled out” and classes are demonstrated: Saturday, August 29, 2015 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on the grounds of Carver Educational Services Center 850 Hungerford Drive Rockville, MD 20850.
Release Date: August 21, 2015
Contact: Tom Hartsock, 301-253-9528, [email protected]
Montgomery County to Roll Out Mobile Ag Science Lab at Back to School Fair
August 29, 2015, 11am-2pm
All Montgomery County’s elementary students will soon gain important hands-on experience with farming and food issues right at their own elementary schools thanks to the collaborative effort of Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation(MAEF), County Council, Montgomery County Public Schools, Montgomery’s Ag Services, County Farm Bureau (MCFB) and Montgomery Countryside Alliance (MCA). “This incredible partnership is unique and we hope other counties follow Montgomery’s example” said MCFB’s Tom Hartsock, who also serves on MAEF’s Board.
Background
Montgomery County Farm Bureau and Montgomery Countryside Alliance initiated this request in response to the recommendations that emerged from the Farming at Metro’s Edge Conference held in 2013. This program represents an extraordinary opportunity to ensure that every Montgomery County elementary student, through each 4-5 year cycle, will learn about agriculture, our extraordinary 93,000 acre Ag Reserve, Montgomery County’s 540 farms and their food system without the time and expense of off-site field trips. “Connecting our children with farms and food through this classroom experience will yield brighter kids with smarter stomachs,” says MCA’s Executive Director Caroline Taylor
What is the Ag Mobile Science Lab?
This state-of-the-art lab on wheels comes with an instructor and all the resources needed to get kids learning about their food system. Using the scientific method, kids solve real world problems faced by farmers and food producers. The labs are subsidized by income from the sale of “Ag Tags”, those attractive Maryland license plates featuring a farm scene.
The Rollout:
Join Montgomery County Council Members, MCPS staff, local agricultural support groups and a bunch of curious kids and others as the MAEF Mobile Science Lab is “rolled out” and classes are demonstrated: Saturday, August 29, 2015 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on the grounds of Carver Educational Services Center 850 Hungerford Drive Rockville, MD 20850.
UPDATE: The Lab has been making the rounds already this school year and is just finishing up at Sargent Shriver Elementary in Silver Spring! As you might imagine, getting the lab ready, staffing with intstructors and establishing the initial curriculum has kept the folks at MAEF, MC Public Schools, MC Ag Services and partners at MC Farm Bureau very busy. We will have some photos soon.
In the meantime, when you get your tag renewal from the MVA - please consider the upgrade to the "Ag Tag" as the revenue will fund this important mobile ag lab initiative
In the meantime, when you get your tag renewal from the MVA - please consider the upgrade to the "Ag Tag" as the revenue will fund this important mobile ag lab initiative
