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Summary 2023 — Colorado

State Contact

Ms. Jennifer Scharpe
Colorado Agriculture in the Classroom
10343 Federal Blvd Unit J Box 224
Westminster, CO 80260
P: 970.818.3308
E: jennifer@coagclassroom.org
Website

Innovative Programming

  • Colorado Literacy Project - A read-aloud book program featuring true-life stories of Colorado agriculture. The 2023 story featured sheep and wool production in a Colorado forest, telling the story of the Theos family from Montrose.
  • Summer AgriCULTURE Institutes - Held a 5-day course in Durango, Colo. focused on general agriculture production and using AITC resources. A new 3-day course was held along the Front Range and focused on the science of animal production, particularly as it relates to climate.
  • Seed Survivor Mobile Trailer Tour

Major Program Impacts or Outcomes

  • After completing the 2023 Colorado Literacy Project, teachers reported that 97% of their students now know wool comes from sheep, 95% of students could say that Colorado forests provide a habitat for sheep and other livestock, 94% of students now know that livestock grazing can mitigate forest fires, and 95% learned about the importance of public lands.
  • After attending the Summer AgriCULTURE Institutes, 95% of the attendees said they would incorporate more agricultural literacy learning into their classrooms and 100% said they would recommend this program to other educators.

Program Leader Biosketch

Jennifer Scharpe is the executive director of the Colorado Foundation for Agriculture (CFA). Jennifer started her position in November of 2017 and has a strong passion for the agriculture community and educating the public on their connection to agriculture, food, and natural resources.

Scharpe is a Minnesota native and grow up on a small beef cow-calf farm. She moved to Colorado in 2009 and has worked in communications and public relations for two different national beef cattle breed associations, the American Gelbvieh Association and the North American Limousin Foundation. She has been involved with the American National CattleWomen, Inc., and was a member of their executive committee. In 2005, Scharpe joined the United State Peace Corps as a sustainable agriculture/animal production volunteer, living and working in Ecuador for two years. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in animal and range science from North Dakota State University, and a Master of Science degree in journalism and mass communications from Iowa State University.