As part of the Healthy Kids, Healthy Programs 2022 Summit, JSI is excited to showcase Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom, and their resources to support School Meal Programs in School Year 2022-2023.
Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom, engages and supports school nutrition programs. Their mission is to educate teachers about many aspects of agriculture so they can share this knowledge with their students. When children learn more about how to grow a plant and the many farmers who source their food, those students are more likely to try a new vegetable and make healthier choices about the food eaten at home or at school. Better food knowledge can lead to much better nutritional choices. Here are the top 3 resources shared by Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom, to help school districts in the upcoming school year.
- Mini-Grants up to $1,500.00: Mini-Grants up to $1,500.00 for an agricultural/garden project for classrooms or schools are offered in partnership with the Massachusetts State Grange Roots Education Initiative. Proposals are accepted twice a year: April 1 and September 1.
- Resource Manuals: Manuals for agricultural endeavors, including planning a garden, adding berries to a garden, raising chickens within the garden, preserving the harvest, welcoming pollinators and more are available for free download.
- Lessons and Workshops: This resource is lessons about agriculture, correlated with state standards, and workshops (both virtual and live) for educators highlighting farmers and a variety of topics.
For more information or to connect with Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom, kindly email Roberta Oles at MassAgintheClassroom@gmail.com. Be sure to connect on social media via Facebook @MassAginClassroom and Twitter @AginClassroom.
Fun Fact…In our countdown to the Healthy Kids, Healthy Programs 2022 Summit on May 24, we asked each partner to share which session they were most excited about. Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom picked the Plant Forward with Black Beans session because of the creativity of Sam Cowens-Gasbarro and would like to watch this demonstration about offering more legumes on menus.
Thank you to Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom for supporting Massachusetts School Meal Programs and participating in the Countdown to the #HKHHP 2022 Summit!
