Twenty two Tyrone Area FFA members taught 325 Tyrone Area Elementary students all about soybeans as part of their Ag Literacy Week celebrations on March 17th and 18th.

“One of my favorite parts about being a member of the FFA is that I have the chance to teach the younger generations the importance of agriculture,” said sophomore FFA Secretary Remington Weaver. “This past week I had the privilege to teach two elementary classes. I enjoyed seeing the children’s faces as they were learning something new.”

Planning for Ag Literacy Week began months ago with the student-driven FFA committee.

Working in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Friends of Agriculture and the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, the students purchased a book written by Katie Olthoff called My Family’s Soybean Farm for each elementary teacher involved in the event.

The book showcased the importance of crop rotation, how a seedling is planted and grown, what soybeans are used for, and processing from field to table.

Members of the FFA then visited the elementary classrooms to read the book with the students and teach an interactive lesson to the students.

“I never get disappointed when I sign up to teach the lower grades. It’s fun to connect with them and have them understand and gain interest in the topic that we are teaching. I will miss this opportunity given to me when I graduate,” said senior Emma Bartel.

The Ag-Literacy Week committee chose to create one activity based on the grade level to reinforce what was shared throughout the book.

Gallery • 5 Photos

Brienn Jones

Hailey Houck engages with students as the book is projected on board behind her.

The three kindergarten classes participated in a worksheet that included a maze, drawing challenge, color by number activity, and question and answer on the soybean production process.

The seven first-grade classrooms played the “Soybean Land” game in groups of four people. The game consisted of answering questions and moving spacing based on a die roll.

The six second-grade classrooms enjoyed a GimKit Live challenge; which is an educational online app that is a game show for the classroom that requires knowledge, collaboration, and strategy to win.

“The activity was so engaging!  I learned to use a new app too. Thank you to the ag students for reaching out to the elementary,” said second-grade teacher Barabra Elder.

The following ag students participated in the event: Noah Updike, Kiara Rhoads, Grace Peterson, Emma Bartel, Lilly Ray, Randi Williams, Rayann Walls, Jenna Weyer, Maverick Fleck, Leo Veit, Remington Weaver, Nora Hoy, Hailey Houck, Nathaniel Patterson, Joshua Patterson, Tristan Contreras, Brianne Jones, Jaden Williams, Lauren Fleck, Braden Ewing, Meaghan Foster, and Trinity Lingafelt.

The Ag Literacy Week planning committee included Connor Bennett, Riley Corl, Braden Ewing, Catherine Ewing, Lauren Fleck, Maverick Fleck, Angel Jimenez, Noah Newlin, Sara Patterson, Iceis Snyder, Noah Updike, Jenna Weyer, Jaden Williams, and Aliza Yazzie.