Agriculture in the Classroom Canada (AITC-C) is a Canadian charitable organization with a vision of bringing agriculture to every classroom, inspiring every student.
Food connects us all to agriculture. In a complex and changing world, it is more important than ever to inspire the next generation to care about the food they eat, where it comes from, and how it gets to their plates. AITC-C is the vehicle into Canadian classrooms from coast to coast!
AITC-C’s members, who also make up our Board of Directors, proudly deliver educational resources, initiatives and programs to Canadian classrooms!
Message from the Chair
Pat Tonn
Chair
We’ve become stronger through challenges this year, continuing to adapt programming, perfect virtual delivery of educational materials, and cheer the incredible dedication of teachers delivering dynamic lessons with us. The pan-Canadian climate challenges affecting farmers have shone a spotlight on the value and importance of agriculture and food, giving us the opportunity to really raise the profile and have impact in Canadian classrooms.
The ten provincial organizations have grown stronger with AITC-C through sharing in a cooperative effort to build the Great Canadian Farm Tour, thinkAG career resources, and a hub of Agriculture curriculum resources for teachers. It has been inspiring and invigorating to develop great teaching tools together.
We would also like to recognize the work of our Executive Director Johanne Ross and the amazing and talented staff at AITC-C for another banner year. Each day they work tirelessly to achieve our goals in our strategic plan, building the organization within and creating on point Canadian resources, initiatives, and programs in agricultural education.
As I leave my position as chair this year, I commend all our team for their dedication and resiliency in making a difference. Most of all, gratitude to our partners and donors for believing in us, our work, and the importance of agriculture and food education. Many thanks.
Pat Tonn
Chair
Impact
AITC-C’s agriculture education experiences and offerings are impacting teachers and students across the country!
Read on to learn how this impact was achieved!
Canadian Agriculture Literacy Month (CALM) is our annual month of celebration that inspires students from K-12 across the country to learn about Canada’s incredible agriculture and food story.
Students and teachers learn firsthand about the agriculture sector through in-class and virtual visits from farmers and industry experts who are passionate about sharing their stories from the world of agriculture.
Follow CALM on social media
137,000 +
student experiences
2,200 +
participating schools
Thank you to our presenting partners for helping bring Canadian Agriculture Literacy Month to classrooms across the nation!
45,000 students, 2,500 teachers, over 300 contest entries, and 11 virtual farm tours!
The numbers were staggering for the inaugural year of the Great Canadian Farm Tour!
Throughout the month of March, we travelled coast-to-coast to visit farms virtually in each province alongside our AITC member organizations. Students were able to LEARN about Canada’s exciting agriculture and food story, CONNECT and interact virtually with real farmers, and EXPERIENCE what it’s like on farms across the country.
If you missed it, don’t worry! Our education team has put together a resource on our Curriculum Linked Resource Library!
Congratulations to Hillmond Central School in Lloydminster, SK for winning the Great Canadian Farm Tour 2022 Contest! This class is holding up the completed mystery sentence from their Great Canadian Farm Tour Passport!
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, joins AITC-C Executive Director Johanne Ross on a fascinating tour of RJ Taylor’s aquaculture facilities at Cedar Crest Trout Farms in Hanover, Ontario. Thank you to Minister Bibeau for co-hosting the Aquaculture tour, which wrapped up the Great Canadian Farm Tour!
WHAT WE HEARD FROM TEACHERS
“My students had a lot of fun with this, as did I. We all learned so much about farms across our country and how important they are to our food supply. The passport idea was exciting for them too, they always looked forward to the mystery word. We did the farm tour at the same time as our units on nutrition in health, and working and living in Ontario (rural and urban communities) in Social Studies — they all connected really well! Thank you for doing this tour!”
“This was an amazing opportunity to take a “field trip” in our classroom. With COVID-19 restrictions, it was a way to broaden and learn about different aspects of agriculture in our country. It was also a great way to bring awareness to the different geographical places and the types of agriculture that was featured there. Well done.”
Connections
AITC-C loves to collaborate with its partners to bring innovative learning to classrooms from coast to coast!
” I am so thankful for this information for my students! There was a lot of chatter down the hall after you finished. Even if it gets them thinking about ag in the future, it was worth it!
Thank you for your humor and patience as we figured things out! I am going to use the additional supplies that were sent in May. Great program!
Thank you once again!”
– TEACHER, ALBERTA
The Explore Digital Agriculture Activity was developed in partnership with AITC-C’s members: Agriculture in the Classroom Manitoba, Ag for Life in Alberta, and Agriculture in the Classroom Saskatchewan. This initiative was generously supported by Protein Industries Canada (PIC) and Enterprise Machine Intelligence and Learning Initiative (EMILI) Canada, and is part of a larger partnership with Actua, to showcase what a tangible career in the agri-food industry can look like.
Over 50 candidates submitted videos exploring their innovative visions for the future of agriculture. While all students showcased inventive and contemporary ideas for the industry, only 6 took home the prize: $4,000 towards their post-secondary education and $1,000 for their high school.
We were proud to announce the 2021 G3 Grow Beyond Scholarship winners:
Farm and Food Care and AITC-C collaboratively developed a new online resource that allows students and teachers the ability to further explore the 360 degree virtual reality farm tours available at www.FarmFood360.ca. These tours allow Canadians to virtually visit real, working farms and food processing facilities on tablets, mobile devices, desktop computers, and VR (Virtual Reality) devices.
The tours, as well as the educator guides, are currently available online at www.FarmFood360.ca and www.aitc-canada.ca. This is the second partnership between the groups.
In 2021, AITC-C produced an educator resource to accompany the award-winning publication, The Real Dirt on Farming available at www.RealDirtonFarming.ca
AITC-C launched a new, interactive resource and teaching guide to accompany Guardians of the Grasslands, a documentary that explores the role that cattle play in the survival of Canada’s vanishing grasslands ecosystem.
Through a funding partnership with the Canadian Cattlemen’s Foundation (CCF), Guardians of the Grasslands in the Classroom complements the 12-minute documentary through viewing and reflection questions, an online scavenger hunt, and a student-developed board game based on their investigative research. It also prompts the exploration of important topics like biodiversity, soil health, climate change, and land management.
Innovation
thinkAG is a collection of teaching resources and outreach tools that encourage students in Grades 5-12 to explore and get curious about the myriad of career opportunities in agriculture and food. Through the thinkAG platform, AITC helps to inspire students from all backgrounds to envision themselves working in the agriculture and food industry.
Last year, AITC-C launched thinkAG.ca, a new website aimed at getting high school students curious about careers in Canada’s agriculture and food sector.
It showcases over 70 career profiles that highlight the diversity of jobs that exist along the agriculture value chain. Students can discover their Holland Code and access information about post-secondary and scholarship opportunities.
thinkAG Initiatives
Thinking outside the box, thinkAG brings students and educators into a world of agriculture education that inspires curiosity in the many career opportunities throughout our food system. By inspiring students to thinkAG and picture themselves working in agriculture and food, we’re helping to close the industry’s labour gap.
Collaborating with our 10 member organizations we deliver numerous career exploration programs and tools to help build the next generation of informed consumers, influential thought leaders, and skilled Canadians.
Over 1,600
kits distributed across Canada
540 Student Experiences
Career Competitions 10 virtual events
Career Expos 4,000 student experiences
Career month
This year we participated in Canada Career Month, a national campaign initiated by the Canadian Career Development Foundation (CCDF). By spotlighting agri-food careers via our thinkAG initiative, AITC-C is taking critical steps to help close the labour shortage gap in Canada.
“Many of the career Education 2022 curriculum outcomes were met by attending this event. Specifically those pertaining to gaining valuable experience in career exploration & job market opportunities.”
– Teacher, NL
Last year, we added 12 new snapAG information sheets to our Learn About Agriculture web page and Curriculum Connected Resource Library. These infographic resources cover ‘hot topics’ in the agriculture and food sectors, including regenerative agriculture, robotics, food security, urban agriculture and more!
The addition of these 12 snapAG sheets brings the total number of sheets to 73. They provide accurate, balanced and current science-based answers to various questions about agriculture and food – ready for teachers and students alike, and perfect for at-home learning.
AITC-C was excited to release its newest curriculum-linked teaching tool.
The interactive, online resource aims to support students’ understanding of where and how our food is produced, while also examining the challenges and opportunities producers face. The resource examines farms from all Canadian provinces and enables students to learn about agricultural commodities from many farmers.
The Journey 2050 program takes students on a virtual simulation that explores global food sustainability. The program allows students to make decisions through interactive video games and witness their impact on society, the environment, and the economy at a local and global scale. Teachers guide their students through inquiry-based lesson plans that showcase farm families around the world.
“This is actually a lot more fun than I thought it would be. This is a great way to teach students, the game is really fun to play.”
– STUDENT, MANITOBA
“Everything met or exceeded my expectations.”
– Teacher, Alberta
“I always enjoy seeing the students get really into it by the end of the game. Instead of complaining they have to play the game, they are complaining that they have to stop playing because class is over.”
– Volunteer, PEI
Little Green Thumbs is an indoor gardening program that brings your classroom to life. We equip teachers with the tools, skills and training to grow classroom gardens. A Little Green Thumbs garden supports inquire-based, hands-on and cross-curricular learning. Youth unlock the magic of food and agriculture education and explore the connections between their health, environment and food system.
“I find the LGT program really helps to increase engagement and enthusiasm for learning in my classroom.”
– Teacher, Saskatchewan.
“My students got to see that taking care of plants is hard work and that providing enough food for the whole planet is a lot of work. They finally realized that most of what they ate was grown from the ground and they grew an appreciation of the earth. This program promotes awareness of the earth and the importance of taking care of it.”
– Teacher, NL
Thank you to our national partner for its dedication and commitment to supporting Little Green Thumbs and Journey 2050 in classrooms across the country!
The Resource Library allows teachers and students from across Canada to meet curriculum outcomes in a fun and engaging way. Users can easily filter through hundreds of free resources and activities by subject, grade, topic, or province and download with just the click of a button. Exciting updates coming to our resource library include an improved user interface, and an enhanced reporting dashboard allowing AITC to provide Canadian educators with more of what they love!
530 resources, over 60k curriculum outcomes.
We were proud to be recognized by our peers and colleagues this past year!
AITC-C wins at Best of CAMA awards
With the goal of engaging and inspiring youth to consider a career in agriculture and food no matter their interests or skills, thinkAG.ca won the Website directed at the General Public category, as well as Best in Show for all public facing categories.
Our 2020-2021 Annual Progress Report won in the Specialty Publications category. Our Annual Progress Report has gained more than 1,400 page views and outlines our collective national impact across our 10 provincial organizations. We are extremely proud of the report and the impact it reflects.
AITC-C Executive Director inducted into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame
We are honoured that our Executive Director, Johanne Ross, was officially inducted into the Canadian Agriculture Hall of Fame in November. This award helped raised the profile of Agriculture in the Classroom Canada and we were fortunate to celebrate the evening with family, friends, and colleagues from across Canada.
Ambition
“Learning is a treasure that will follow you everywhere.”
Here’s a preview at some exciting initiatives ahead for AITC-C.
In 2022, AITC-C partnered with Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) to offer two scholarships of $2,500 each. Open to grade 10-12 students across Canada, this scholarship empowers students to make sustainable food choices and informed career decisions.
Applicants were required to submit a written essay, a video, or a visual arts piece in order to address questions pertaining to topics including global sustainability, agriculture and food careers, and their personal interests.
We look forward to sharing the recipients’ stories in next year’s Annual Progress Report!
Kareero is our new, interactive tool for self-interest assessment. The app encourages students to explore their interest areas as they virtually develop a school gardening program. In conjunction with the thinkAG website, Kareero provides an immersive way for students to discover careers that complement their interests. The app will be available for download from Google Play and iOS stores in Winter 2022!
MILESTONES AHEAD
In 2023, we will reach the incredible milestone of 100 snapAG sheets! How are we going to celebrate? Stay tuned!
Season 2 of the Great Canadian Farm Tour
We can’t wait for you to join us on the next season of our smash hit agriculture journey in May 2023!
National competition
Coming in the Fall of 2023, AITC-C will launch a nation-wide challenge for Grade 6-8 classrooms on our new online Learning Management System. As a team, students will work collaboratively to tackle the challenge using their earned knowledge and skills. Competitors will be judged at a provincial and national level, with a focus on sustainability and agro-ecosystems. We can’t wait to share more details in the future!
It’s been a journey!
I have heard myself saying these words many times as I reflect on the past year, and how Agriculture in the Classroom Canada (AITC-C) has arrived to this very point in its 6th year of operation.
From the foundation of AITC-C in February 2015, it has been a long and winding journey which has often required us to adjust speeds and take some uncharted paths to bring us to where we are now.
What a year to celebrate! So many milestones that were achieved over the past year are highlighted in this report, including:
• The birth of the Great Canadian Farm Tour: what a fabulous way of truly connecting with thousands of students and teachers from coast to coast by taking a live tour of a farm and interacting with real farmers!
• thinkAG.ca launched! An interactive and dynamic exploration of careers in agriculture and food all in one online stop, not to mention all the teaching tools housed within this amazing site!
• AITC-C Canadian Educator Resource Matrix was enhanced and expanded to include hundreds of additional bilingual resources so that we could better serve our target of educators with curriculum linked agri-food teaching tools for classrooms at all grade levels, from coast to coast to coast!
Like any adventure, the journey is not over. Team AITC-C looks forward to the expansion of all our current projects and the addition of some exciting new initiatives as we continue down the road.
The national staff, alongside the 10 AITC member organizations, are an amazing collective. Standing together, we have seen (and will continue to see) impact. AITC’s work is important and in demand. Progress is being made. AITC’s success is critically linked to each of our partners and supporters – the AITC community. There is no family without community and we deeply thank you for being part of ours.
We look forward to seeing what the next adventure together will bring!
Leadership
Meet our Board of Directors (BOD), Board Advisory Committee (BAC), and staff – the vision behind Agriculture in the Classroom Canada!
It’s been a journey!
I have heard myself saying these words many times as I reflect on the past year, and how AITC-C has arrived to this very point in its 6th year of operation.
From the foundation of AITC-C in February 2015, it has been a long and winding journey which has often required us to adjust speeds and take some uncharted paths to bring us to where we are now.
Johanne Ross
Executive Director
Pat Tonn
CHAIR
Board of Directors (BOD)
British Columbia
Becky Parker
Board Advisory Committee (BAC)
British Columbia
Luree Williamson
Board of Directors (BOD)
Alberta
Sue Clayton
VICE CHAIR
Board of Directors (BOD)
Manitoba
Rebecca Sooksom
Board of Directors (BOD)
Secretary
Novia Scotia
Sara Shymko
TREASURER
Board of Directors (BOD)
Saskatchewan
Nadine Sisk
Board Advisory Committee (BAC)
Ontario
Kelly Green
Board Advisory Committee (BAC)
Manitoba
Mathieu Rouleau
Board of Directors (BOD)
Quebec
Laurie Loane
Board of Directors (BOD)
Prince Edward Island
Chelsea Foley
Board of Directors (BOD)
Newfoundland & Labrador
Teresa Vallotton
Board Advisory Committee (BAC)
Manitoba
Trish Jordan
Board Advisory Committee (BAC)
Manitoba
Lindsey Verhaeghe
Board Advisory Committee (BAC)
Alberta
Charlotte Flores
Board of Directors (BOD)
New Brunswick
Taylor Selig
Board of Directors (BOD)
Ontario
“Agriculture in the Classroom Canada has grown so much in recent years, as the team has pursued its vision for ensuring that agriculture is in every classroom, inspiring every student. Their sheer determination was especially evident as they stepped up to provide new and innovative resources designed to help Canadian teachers navigate the unprecedented challenges of teaching in a pandemic. These resources have broken down barriers not only for teachers, but also for AITC-C’s ambitious goal for sharing the amazing story of Canadian agriculture.”
– Nadine Sisk, BAC
Our dedicated, coast-to-coast team is passionate about bringing
AITC-C’s vision to life.
Johanne Ross
Executive Director
Christa Wright
Operations Manager
Allison Leclerc
Finance & Admin Manager
Sue Sheridan
Director of Fund Development
Myles Dolphin
Communications Manager
Shayla Wourms
thinkAG Manager
Melissa Galay
Education Specialist
Melanie MacDonald
Senior Development Officer
Laura Lefebvre
Project Coordinator
Morgan MacTavish
thinkAG Project Coordinator
Colleen Crunican
Education Project Coordinator
Laura Newcombe
Digital Communications Assistant
Johanne Ross
Executive Director
Through my career journey, I have been able to experience first-hand the passion, inspiration, excitement, innovation and uniqueness of Canada’s agriculture and food story. I feel so blessed to be able to share all of this with Canadian educators and students through AITC’s critical resources, programs and initiatives. Collaboration is the cornerstone to what we do – how lucky am I to be able to work alongside all the dynamic provincial member organizations, as well as hundreds of dedicated stakeholders and partners, as we strive together to build curiosity around, connections to and understanding of, the business of producing food. I love my job!!!
Christa Wright
Operations Manager
Growing up on a farm, I always had a great appreciation where our food comes from. Our family is now into the 3rd generation, and I have watched how farming is not just a job but a lifestyle filled with dedication and passion. Our children today are so removed from the farm, they do not have the understanding of where our food comes from or know the importance. When I first began my career in agriculture education many years ago, I quickly learnt that we have an obligation to educate our future generations. We have a great story to tell and I am excited to have a role to play in delivering it to students across Canada. Agriculture in the Classroom Canada will build provincial capacity across this country for agriculture education so we can reach as many students as possible. So proud to be a member of this dynamic team!
Allison Leclerc
Finance & Admin Manager
I feel fortunate to be a part of the AITC-C team, seeing each province deliver Ag Education across the country. As a farmer, I feel it is important that people, young and old, know where their food comes from and AITC-C delivers in an accurate, balanced and current format!
Sue Sheridan
Director of Fund Development
“Life truly does come full circle”.
Early in my career I had the good fortune to work at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, the largest indoor agricultural and equestrian event in the world. My portfolio included the Fair’s education centres, that were presented by various sector associations, who hosted over 45,000 school aged children over the course of the 10 days. The Fair brought the curriculum to life, helping students understand where their food came from and how vital Agriculture and Agribusiness is to Canada and our collective future.
Joining the Agriculture in the Classroom team, feels like home. Working with member associations, sector partners, corporations, government, and Foundations to ensure Teachers continue to have the resources they need to highlight the connections Agriculture has to the curriculum, and the vital role it has in the lives of Canadians and their communities across the country.
Education goes beyond shaping us as individuals, it helps us form opinions on local and global issues, teaches us about our communities. With education we learn to support each other and help make positive changes.
Myles Dolphin
Communications Manager
Growing up in the Montérégie region of southern Quebec, where 30% of the province’s agriculture GDP comes from, I really should have become a poultry or dairy farmer. But as a teenager, I realized that I had inherited my father’s passion for education and continuous learning. It took me to various corners of the world and ultimately brought me to the Yukon Territory, where I was able to start my career in communications and gain a real appreciation for the industry.
As a professional communicator for the past six years, it has become abundantly clear to me that not everyone communicates or processes information the same way. If we did, it would make my job so much less challenging and enjoyable. One constant I’ve noticed, however, is that in a world where everyone’s vying for the consumer’s attention, information is easier to digest if it’s catchy, memorable and fun. And that’s partially why I decided to join AITC-C and its driven staff. The role of a communicator is to convey messages efficiently and creatively, which AITC-C embraces.
So here I am, leaving my comfort zone to join AITC-C on a mission to bring agriculture to every Canadian classroom. It’s a brand new industry for me but a great opportunity to connect with new audiences, create and grow new relationships, and quench my never-ending desire for learning.
Shayla Wourms
thinkAG Manager
From the time I was a little girl, I pondered what it meant to find my dream career. My dream meant having the opportunity to make a difference in this world, the chance to leave my mark. The dream came true when I found agriculture, and then the dream grew into something bigger: having the opportunity to share the importance of food and farming with the rest of the world. Helping people connect to and understand agriculture in their own special way has become the purpose of my career. Agriculture is essential to life, which means it will be forever present, forever looking forward, forever innovating, and forever exciting. I’m proud to represent agriculture as a Saskatchewan farmer and a member of the AITC Canada team, striving to help people of all ages understand where their food comes from, how it is produced, and why it is the greatest industry on earth.
Melissa Galay
Education Specialist
As a teacher, I strive to foster 21st century skills through students learning experiences. My teaching philosophy is rooted in developing critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity skills which are imperative for students to be successful both in and out of the classroom. In the agriculture industry, now more than ever, it is vital to equip students with the skills and tools they need to navigate their way through the information available to them online, and in the media. Giving students the opportunity to not only learn where their food comes from, but also the best practices and safety assurance processes involved in the agri-food sector is the key to building public trust in our future leaders! I am so excited to bring an educator perspective to the AITC-C team in this new role and continue with the great work that is being done across Canada in agriculture education.
Melanie MacDonald
Senior Development Officer
Growing up, I always knew that I wanted to have a career with impact. I was naturally drawn to opportunities that were philanthropic in nature and held the promise of making difference in the world. I was fortunate to begin my career in the non-profit sector early on, eventually finding my place in fund development, which has grown into a passion that extends beyond a job title. I also found a place for myself as a teacher, drawn to the incredible, long-lasting impact of education. And although I haven’t grown up in agriculture, I do believe that food connects us all. I have a deep appreciation for knowing where my food comes from and understand how important it is that our future generation does, too!
Now, working with AITC-C, I truly feel like it’s a perfect balance of all my passions. I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to work alongside this vibrant team to continue creating meaningful impact for all those we serve.
Laura Lefebvre
Project Coordinator
As a suburbanite turned agriculture enthusiast, I know first-hand how profoundly agricultural education can change a young person’s life. Growing up in southern Ontario with little awareness of the agri-food industry, my passion for science and animal husbandry had no particular direction. A few positive post-secondary work experiences opened my eyes to the big, beautiful world of farming which I’ve been fortunate to explore through my career ever since.
I’m thrilled now to be a part of AITC Canada; a team that shares my passion for agriculture and my drive to bring curiosity and opportunity to students in every corner of our country. I’m so fortunate to have found my way into this industry, and look forward to helping the next generation pave their own path too!
Morgan MacTavish
thinkAG Project Coordinator
Growing up on a 5th generation farm in a strong farming community in Southwestern Ontario, I have a deep appreciation for the time, care, and dynamic workforce that goes into our food story. With help from wonderful mentors, they opened my eyes to new career experiences within agriculture education and I strongly feel this is where I am meant to be. Joining the thinkAG team is an exciting way to pay it forward and to connect others to the unique experiences available, hopefully sparking interest in young people pursuing a career in Agriculture. Playing a role in an industry that is rooted in meaningful connections, adaptivity, collaboration, and innovation are all key factors that make it an exciting and fulfilling sector to be a part of. I am proud to be a member of the AITC-C team and excited to help inspire the next generation to thinkAG!
Colleen Crunican
Education Project Coordinator
I have had the privilege to be immersed in the agriculture industry from a young age, as I am the fifth generation involved in my family’s apple orchard. Throughout my extensive work and educational opportunities in agriculture and growing up close to a large city, I have experienced first-hand the misinformation that many individuals hold about how their food is produced. I am excited to work with AITC-C and use my skills as a Certified Teacher to provide students and educators with informed, hands-on, and valuable tools that will help more individuals – especially students – to make their own knowledge-based decisions about the food they eat.
My interest and education in agriculture has provided me with countless opportunities, from learning about food insecurity and volunteering on farms in rural Kenya, to learning about food production in Costa Rica. Now, working with AITC-C, I believe I am exactly where I am supposed to be in my career. I look forward to combining my passions of agriculture and education into my role and working collaboratively with our team to continue the legacy that this organization has already established.
Laura Newcombe
Digital Communications Assistant
Growing up in rural Prince Edward Island meant being surrounded by agriculture. Where our food came from was never a question in our home. And it should never be a question.
Although I always had a connection to agriculture in my personal life, I wasn’t actively pursuing it as a career option after I completed post-secondary. Luckily, I fell into the right opportunities helping me realize this is the industry for me. That’s what led me to my career here at AITC Canada. I am so excited to not only help bring agriculture education tools to teachers, but to also help youth realize the opportunities available no matter what their skill set is. The ag industry is much more than being a farmer. If you’re passionate, there is a place in the industry for you.
Collaboration
Thank you to the thousands of agriculture champions for sharing your story to students in classrooms all over Canada.
Meet AITC-NL Volunteer, Terri-Lynn Robbins
It was just over a decade ago that Terri-Lynn Robbins remembers being inspired
by a few choice encounters at the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation
of Agriculture Expo.
Robbins was selling flowers and potted plants at a booth when a young girl,
about 7 or 8 years old, walked up to the booth next to hers. The child was amazed
by carrots with green tops on them.
“She couldn’t believe that,” Robbins said. “She’d only ever seen baby carrots like the ones at grocery stores. I thought that was so bizarre.”
That same weekend she met Christa Wright, then the coordinator for Agriculture in the Classroom Newfoundland, who asked Robbins if she’d consider volunteering for the Little Green Thumbs (LGT) program, an indoor gardening program for classrooms. Before she knew it, Robbins was connected with the Pasadena Academy School and had become a mentor for Little Green Thumbs.
Robbins didn’t know it at the time, but those encounters laid the foundation for a decade of mentoring and volunteering in her community.
“The first couple of years were a wonderful experience,” she said from her home in Deer Lake, N.L. “I was still so amazed that so many kids did not know where their food came from.”
Cultivators
Our Foundational Partners
Thank you for always being champions of AITC-C’s vision, and for the opportunity to partner with you.
Thank you to Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, for her passion and support directed to agriculture education across Canada.
Meet AITC-NL Volunteer, Terri-Lynn Robbins
It was just over a decade ago that Terri-Lynn Robbins remembers being inspired by a few choice encounters at the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture Expo.
Robbins was selling flowers and potted plants at a booth when a young girl, about 7 or 8 years old, walked up to the booth next to hers. The child was amazed by carrots with green tops on them.
“She couldn’t believe that,” Robbins said. “She’d only ever seen baby carrots like the ones at grocery stores. I thought that was so bizarre.”
That same weekend she met Christa Wright, then the coordinator for Agriculture in the Classroom Newfoundland, who asked Robbins if she’d consider volunteering for the Little Green Thumbs (LGT) program, an indoor gardening program for classrooms. Before she knew it, Robbins was connected with the Pasadena Academy School and had become a mentor for Little Green Thumbs.
Robbins didn’t know it at the time, but those encounters laid the foundation for a decade of mentoring and volunteering in her community.
“The first couple of years were a wonderful experience,” she said from her home in Deer Lake, N.L. “I was still so amazed that so many kids did not know where their food came from.”
Robbins slowly stopped focusing on growing flowers and became more interested in food production. In addition to running a very busy pet farm that offers a number of children’s programs as well as a farm camp, she has found time to sit on the Board of Directors of the NL Federation of Agriculture, to chair the Agriculture in the Classroom NL Steering Committee, to volunteer for a number of agriculture-related events and to continue being a mentor for the Little Green Thumbs program.
All that hard work and dedication did not go unnoticed. This year, the NL Federation of Agriculture nominated her for the Gordon Seabright Volunteer of the Year Award.
The award is intended to recognize a volunteer who has, through an outstanding effort, made an extraordinary contribution to their community, and who has demonstrated community leadership through volunteerism.
In his nomination letter Wayne Simmons, President of the NL Federation of Agriculture, described her as an “integral part of the success of Agriculture in the Classroom NL. Her dedication to agriculture in the province is unmeasurable.”
In another letter, Jennifer McWhirter, a former LGT teacher and reading specialist with the Pasadena Elementary School, said Robbins had “gone above and beyond to make the learning more fun for all of us. She has made pesto with us and thrown Pesto Pasta parties. When students weren’t too keen on trying tomatoes, she marched in with her food processor and made homemade salsa.”
What drives her? Robbins says she gets a lot of her energy from students. “Watching children become excited about growing food, learning where their food comes from, it’s absolutely amazing,” she said. “Watching kids go from not being able to understand that carrots grow in the ground, that they don’t come in cute little baby carrot sizes, for me it’s an amazing feeling.”
As we wind our interview down, Robbins points out that by speaking on the phone from her porch, her 33 goats think she’s talking to them. She has a bit more free time this week because there aren’t any scheduled guided tours of the property. She pauses to reflect on what keeps her motivated, and where she finds the energy to carry out her laundry list of projects.
“Helping to educate people on where their food comes from, that’s one of the priorities of our farm,” she said. “Even if they learn just one thing; if someone walks away with one new piece of information, I think our job is done.”