JEFFERSON CITY, MO – On Monday, Sept. 12, 124 FFA members from all areas of the state attended the FFA Partner Training Day in Columbia, hosted by Agriculture Education on the Move™ (AEOTM™) and Mizzou Agricultural Education and Leadership.

Agriculture Education on the Move™, a program of the Missouri Farmers Care Foundation, is a hands-on education program designed to build agriculture and food science literacy in third-grade students. As guest presenters, passionate educators bring quality educational resources to the classroom in 10 weekly lessons. The program’s curriculum highlights the important journey of food and everyday products, grown and raised by Missouri farm families, while aligning with key classroom objectives and standards in the areas of science, math, reading and writing.

The AEOTM™ FFA Partnership is an opportunity for Missouri FFA members to become educators and mentors in their local communities. The partnership engages these high school students in building leadership and communication skills, advocating for Missouri agriculture and exploring education as a career path in the future, while reaching elementary students in a fun, interactive way. FFA Training Day provides FFA members the opportunity to not only prepare for their role as partner educators but to connect with potential mentors in agricultural education as they identify their own educational and career paths.

“Ag Education on the Move Partner Training Day is a signature experience for our undergraduate agricultural education students,” said John Tummons, PhD., director of undergraduate studies for Mizzou Agricultural Education and Leadership. “Our students gain experience teaching high school agriculture students and provide a valuable service to Missouri ag education and Missouri Farmers Care. We love this partnership.”

During the Partner Training Day, FFA students committed to delivering AEOTM™ curriculum spent the day on the University of Missouri campus receiving in-depth training in preparation for teaching in their local communities this school year. The training was facilitated by 15 undergraduate students who have partnered with AEOTM™ as part of their training to become Missouri’s next crop of agricultural educators.

“We’ve seen tremendous growth in the FFA partnership in recent years, and the addition of an in-person training opportunity has enhanced the experience for our FFA partners as they become both advocates for agriculture and teachers in their local communities,” said AEOTM™ Program Director, Heather Fletcher. “We’re so thankful for the partnership with Mizzou which makes this day on campus possible and connects us with talented educators who contribute to the program in many capacities beyond training day.”

Through the Missouri Farmers Care Foundation, AEOTM™ is offered free to third-grade students statewide. Through the programs, classrooms will have an educator visits the classroom once a week for 10 weeks to present engaging, hands-on activities while working through workbooks and lesson plans aligned with state learning standards. Over 7,600 Missouri third graders will participate in AEOTM™ in classrooms in 2022. To find out how to invite this program into your school or classroom in 2023, visit www.agmoves.com.