From snowy Steamboat Springs, Dan Austin introduced our speaker, Jenny Bennett. Ms. Bennett is the Agricultural Literacy Coordinator for CSU. Jenny told us that Agriculture Literacy means different things to people depending on their background. Someone from the city may have very little ag literacy compared to someone who grew up on a farm. It can be complex, confusing, and intimidating.
Jenny introduced us to CAM, the CSU mascot, and told us about CAM’s Ag Academy. The academy's goal is to get every school-aged student to have a significant agricultural experience. This is important because not everyone grew up on a farm/ranch or was part of FFA or 4-H. This is beneficial because it brings the community together and increases interest in ag careers.
We also learned about non-formal education in places like the Poudre Learning Center or the CSU Spur at the Terra Building at the National Western Complex. These places provide a laboratory pace to engage in problem-based learning experiences. This provides training for teachers and FFA students while they teach students.