Southern Piedmont Agricultural Research and Extension Center hosts 16th year of award-winning Ag Awareness Day program
The community outreach initiative has positively influenced thousands of students since its inception in 2009.
In 2024, the Southern Piedmont Agricultural Research and Extension Center commemorates its 50th anniversary and marks the 16th year of conducting Ag Awareness Days events for third and fifth graders, a program that began in 2009. Over a period of five days in April, the center hosted 1,237 students from Nottoway, Lunenburg, Brunswick, Mecklenburg, Dinwiddie, Amelia, and Prince Edward counties who participated in interactive learning sessions at the center.
Fifth graders enjoyed learning the math and science of baking bread, thanks to King Arthur Baking Company's Bake for Good program, whose mission is simple: learn, bake, and share. Students were taught how to incorporate food safety and baking techniques into measuring and mixing ingredients, kneading, and preparing dough for baking bread, cinnamon rolls, and pizza crust. After the demonstration, each student received enough flour, yeast, and other materials to bake two loaves of bread at home - one to keep and one to share.
Other presentations covered topics such as addressing food waste and collaborating to combat global hunger, beginning with local communities. Interactive stations engaged students in activities like creating animal cell models, experimenting with polymers through making Oobleck (magic slime), examining the layers of the Earth with apples, and extracting DNA from strawberries.
Third graders had the opportunity to explore 15 unique learning stations. These stations involved hands-on activities such as paper making, vermicomposting (using worms for composting), interacting with simple machines, and learning how to milk dairy cows. Among the highlights of the program were the beloved farm animals, including baby chicks, sheep, and cows, which students can interact with up close, often for the first time.
A fifth grader kneads dough during King Arthur Baking Company's demonstration during the Ag Awareness Day program. Photo by Suzanne Pruitt for Virginia Tech.
Third grade students use sprinkle buckets to simulate rainwater runoff from landscapes. Photo by Suzanne Pruitt for Virginia Tech.
Third graders reach out to make a new friend following a presentation about sheep during Ag Awareness Day. Photo by Suzanne Pruitt for Virginia Tech.
Fifth graders work in an outdoor laboratory to extract DNA from strawberries. Photo by Suzanne Pruitt for Virginia Tech.
“I can honestly say that there is not another program around that creates more excitement and interest from the students and teachers,” said Ruth Ann Horn, the former principal of Blackstone Primary School and current director of curriculum and instruction at Kenston Forest School. “So many Standards of Learning skills come to life for the students. I have seen many ‘a-ha’ moments and ‘oh, that is what the book meant’ over the years. The students talk about the activities for days after visiting the site.”
Virginia's public school instruction is guided by the K-12 Standards of Learning (SOLs) to measure student success in meeting the Board of Education learning and achievement expectations. Ag Awareness Day programming aims to deliver high-impact active learning initiatives in agriculture to align with state SOLs and to introduce agricultural education to students who may not have encountered it otherwise.
“One of the teachers who attended the program this year also participated in the program when she was a third grade student, which demonstrates the long term impact of Agriculture Awareness Day,” said Carol Wilkinson, agronomist at the Southern Piedmont AREC.
“Our goal of Ag Awareness Day is to plant the seeds of science and agriculture,” said PJ Shepherd, research specialist, who has been instrumental to the program’s growth since it began during Wilkinson’s tenure as director.
Last fall, the dedicated team of volunteers was honored with the 2023 Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Team Award for their exceptional contributions to the community outreach initiative that has positively influenced over 16,000 students since it began.
Volunteers for fifth grade Ag Awareness Day programming. Photo by Suzanne Pruitt for Virginia Tech.
Ag Awareness Day volunteers were honored with the CALS Team Award this past fall. Photo by Suzanne Pruitt for Virginia Tech.
Volunteers for third grade Ag Awareness Day programming. Photo by Suzanne Pruitt for Virginia Tech.
Ag Awareness Day success would not be achievable without the invaluable backing of community partners and volunteers, including King Arthur Baking Company's Bake For Good program, Society of St. Andrew - Virginia, Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, Fort Barfoot, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Nottoway FFA Chapter, Virginia Department of Forestry, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, Piedmont Soil & Water Conservation District, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Brickland Hatchery, Rocky Hills Farm LLC, The Dairy Alliance, WestRock, Central Piedmont Virginia Master Naturalists, Richlands Dairy & Creamery, and Triple R Dairy.
