The last ten minutes of preparation and practice before the start of class was broken by the voice of my supervising teacher, Jerry Delsol. I shifted my focus from the lesson plan that I was preparing to give to the seventh grade expo class to better interpret whether Jerry was giving me advice or an order: "I am going to an Educational Resource Committee next week for the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom and I think you should come as well." Little did I know that my one word response, "Sure," would help guide the direction of my education and work for the next several years.
I was just completing the student teacher phase of my agriculture teacher credential program at UC Davis when I attended my first ERC meeting. On the side, I was working as a graduate researcher developing statewide curricula for agriculture in the areas of mechanics, business, and biology. Although I was finishing my preparation for a career "in" agriculture, my interests were always stronger in education "about" agriculture. My first meeting with educators and agricultural leaders at the Educational Resources Committee showed me that there were actually career opportunities in agricultural literacy.
Soon after that first meeting I was asked to assist Pam Emery with some of the CFAITC educational units and in 1995 I had the opportunity to work for the Foundation as it prepared to celebrate its tenth anniversary the following year. The most inspiring part of the job was working with the tremendous network of volunteers who utilized their expertise to help reconnect teachers and children with their agrarian roots. The innovation of the county AITC programs was as diverse as the agricultural industry in California. During my five years with the Foundation, I spent at least one day in 57 of California’s 58 counties (I made special trip to Modoc a few years ago to complete the list) and met hundreds of teachers, farmers, ranchers, and others dedicated to the cause.
There were moments during my five years at CFAITC where the differences between the high school classroom and conducting teacher in-services was clearly evident. My classroom management training for formal education was all about maintaining composure and professionalism to disseminate information. At Ag in the Classroom, we did whatever it took to convey methods for infusing agricultural themes into all subject areas. One year, Nancy Harris had me dress up as a bunch of carrots and a head of lettuce to deliver a message. When it comes to helping the public understand where their food, fiber, and other agricultural products originate and the role the industry plays in their daily lives, there is no hesitation to do whatever it takes to get the message through.
My experiences at CFAITC, particularly in the teacher in-service activities, led me back to my alma mater to run student activities at UC Davis and lead a reorganization of our agricultural education program. However, it was the people I met and worked with that proved to be the most useful tool for career building. When the Dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences needed contacts in any area of the state, I knew, from my days at CFAITC, a dedicated agricultural leader. Through these contacts I also assumed the role of Director of Relations for the college and still utilize the wonderful relationships I built during my years at CFAITC to help further the agricultural industry and promote agricultural literacy efforts.
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