Cook County Farm Bureau Foundation takes 25 urban students on an agricultural experience.
The Cook County Farm Bureau Foundation is again offering the Agriculture Leadership Academy, a fully funded, two-day, overnight trip on Thursday, October 29th and Friday, October 30th to schools who have an approved agricultural program. This is the third year of offering the event. The objectives and goals are to give urban high school students the opportunity to see farms, agribusinesses, a diversity of careers in agriculture and to learn about the Farm Bureau organization. It is also a chance for students to learn about the other schools’ FFA programs and to see the opportunities that exist within the FFA organization.
This year’s program consists of students and teachers from Thornwood High School, Chicago High School for Ag Sciences and Hubbard High School. Coordinators of the program are Haley Loy, Director of Ag Literacy/PR for Cook County Farm Bureau and Sarah Hileman, FCAE Urban Program Advisor.
Day one includes visiting Tanners Orchard, Midland FFA Chapter, the Peoria Agriculture Research Service, a farm tour and bonfire at Grebner’s farm in Washburn, Ill. Day two starts with an overview of the process of creating Agriculture Policy, visits with Illinois policymakers, a capital tour, a tour of Illinois State University and a speaker on media at the Illinois Farm Bureau. Students are given a pre and post test, as well as daily worksheets to expand, challenge, and test their knowledge gained during the trip.
Jim Brandau, President of Cook County Farm Bureau Foundation, said, “This program enhances student’s awareness of the diversity of agriculture. It teaches them that farming is more than just growing crops and raising livestock.”
“I think the Cook County Farm Bureau Foundation is giving students a wonderful opportunity to not only see Illinois agriculture, but attending this one-of-a-kind event will expose the students to careers in agriculture that they never even dreamed of” said Sarah Hileman, FCAE, Urban Program Advisor.
The Cook County Farm Bureau Foundation was established in 1997 by the Board of Directors of the Cook County Farm Bureau for the purpose of accepting tax-deductible donations, to be used to carry out charitable, literacy, and educational work in agriculture.