Caroline Taylor, MCA's Executive Director presents Lori and her children with a basket of Ag Reserve gifts.
MCA Co-President Gene Kingsbury, along with Poolesville High School Global Ecology veteran teacher Joyce Bailey, has spent some time with MCA's Ag Education program in the classroom with students. "In Poolesville, when we ask how many of them want to work in agriculture - maybe one hand goes up. " But in Damascus, he says, it is different. The leadership of this year's honoree, veteran Ag educator Lori Mayhew, has sparked an interest in agriculture among students and launched countless careers in the field. Lori also coordinates Montgomery County's only FFA (Future Farmers of America) program. Read more about Lori here. Visit our Facebook Page for more photos.
|
Accolades poured in for Lori Mayhew, from a student from her first year at Damascus High and an official proclamation from the County Executive and Montgomery County Delegation. Lori herself spoke to the power of ag education to grab kids the way other subjects do not, but at the same time producing food is not for just a certain type of person. "It's not just a cow and a plow," she said. "If you like photography, marketing, art, there is a space for you in Agriculture." As part of running the only (FFA) chapter in the county, Lori organizes a farmers market at Damascus High School - each year they do The Great Plant Giveaway - veggie starts grown by FFA members are given free to market attendees, removing the barrier of cost to attempting to grow food. The experience of growing one's own food through this program shows community members what goes in to producing food, even on a small scale. Lori says of the program - "Not everyone can grow everything but everyone can grow something."
|
Our thanks to Lori Mayhew for her commitment to Agriculture Education! Thanks to St. Mary's Pavilion of Barnesville for hosting us, our board members for helping out with the event and to Dr. Royce Hanson, for everything.
Fifth Generation Orchard owner and MCA Co-President Gene Kingsbury shares his poem "Willow Creek"
