Summary 2019 — Florida

State Contact

Ms Becky Sponholtz
Florida Agriculture in the Classroom
P.O. Box 110015
Gainesville, FL 32611-0015
P: 352.846.1391
E: sponholtz@agtag.org
Website

Classroom Resources

1. Forever There's a Forest!-FAITC, in partnership with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, developed this year's Agriculture Literacy Day book that educates K-5 students about Florida's forestry industry. This will begin a series based on individual agriculture industries. 2. All Things Agriculture-A third through fifth grade activity newspaper was created that includes plants, water cycle, financial literacy, math and careers. 2. Teacher Workshops/Farm Tours - FAITC staff and facilitators held 20 workshops around the state. 3. Grants - FAITC distributed 75 $500 school garden grants in addition to its Teacher Grant and Volunteer Grant programs, for a total of 112 grants. Teachers who receive grant money are required to present at least one lesson from the school garden curricula and submit and pre and post-test classroom average from assessments at the end of each lesson. 4. School Garden Recipe Contest - The inaugural recipe contest was held and we had 25 entries and 14 recipes were put into the FAITC Recipe Book.

Major Program Impacts or Outcomes

Florida Agriculture in the Classroom, Inc. (FAITC) estimates it reached more than 6,700 teachers and 205,000 students in 2019. It reached an estimated 4,015 teachers and 111,285 students with materials orders during 2019. The organization believes there is growing awareness and interest in the program by teachers and volunteers. In addition, it developed and distributed new materials, allowing it to grow the number of new teachers it introduced to its program. Interest in programs such as Florida Agriculture Literacy Day continued to grow and helped boost FAITC numbers as well.

Biosketch

Becky Sponholtz Experience: February 2017 – Present: Executive Director, Florida Agriculture in the Classroom, Inc; Gainesville, FL June 2013 – February 2017: Education Program Manager; Florida Agriculture in the Classroom, Inc.; Gainesville, FL July 2006 – June 2013: Agriscience Teacher; Keystone Heights Junior/Senior High School; Keystone Heights, FL August 2004 – June 2006: Agriscience and Veterinary Assisting Teacher; Fort Pierce, FL Education: 2000 - Bachelor of Science – Animal and Dairy Science; Auburn University; Auburn, AL 2002 – Master of Agriculture; Auburn University; Auburn, AL