Summary 2019 — Michigan

State Contact

Ms Michelle Blodgett
Michigan Farm Bureau
7373 W. Saginaw Hwy.
Lansing, MI 48909
P: 517.679.5893
E: mblodge@michfb.com
Website

Classroom Resources

Our FARM(Food, Agriculture and Resources in Motion) Science Lab, a 40 foot mobile classroom, was launched in spring of 2016 with eight lessons. In fall of 2019, we launched a second lab! Information about the lab and the lesson descriptions are found at www.farmsciencelab.org. In 2019, our staff updated our Career Promotion Resource, that will be available to volunteers and educators in 2020! We updated the Ag accurate fact posters that are available for purchase through our store. http://michigan-ag-in-the-classroom10.mybigcommerce.com/michigan-commodity-fact-posters/ We offered Consumer Conversation training and resources to our staff and volunteers. Finally, we created a supplemental resource for NAITCO named Two Truths and a Lie, which can be found on the NAITCO curriculum matrix. https://miagclassroom.org/teacher/matrix/resources.cfm?rid=1001&search_term_cr=Two%20Truths

Major Program Impacts or Outcomes

In 2019, the MIAITC program launched a second FARM Science Lab(FSL) to the fleet and expanded our Regional Educator staff to 18. The manager of MIAITC trained 18 Regional Educators to teach in the FSL for the 2019-2020 school year. In 2019, over 19,900 students and 1000 visited the FSL. Michelle also presented to over 100 educators this year at Michigan Science Teachers Conference, MI Reading Conference and a partner K-12 Educator PD with AgroLiquid/IQ Hub, with a reach of over 100 K-12 educators. Project RED (Rural Education Day) activities remain strong with nearly 50% of county Farm Bureaus hosting the outreach program. This opportunity includes sharing lessons and resources with over 25,000 students and over 800 3rd and 4th grade educators. Investments in secondary education outreach remained steady with $5,000 dedicated to high-school student agriculture education outreach training and implementation. Our staff also presented to over 100 students in Ag programs at a fall state-level conference.

Biosketch

In December of 2017, Michelle Blodgett joined the Center for Education and Leadership Development as Manager of the FARM Science Lab. She joined the team with 20 years of elementary teaching experience (K-8 and Special Education). She also has 4 years of managing education programs, including the FARM Science Lab at Michigan Farm Bureau. In October of 2018, Michelle became the state contact and manager of the Michigan Ag in the Classroom program. Michelle is a graduate of Saginaw Valley State University, with a B.A. in Elementary Education/Special Education. She earned her M.A. in Special Education, from University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Michelle has taught in Michigan and Nevada. Michelle lives in Lansing, MI with her husband Steve and 3 dogs. She has 2 stepsons, Guytanno and Vito. Both whom live out-of State.