Compeer supports IAITC

Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom (IAITC) has new resources available for schools, thanks to funding from Compeer Financial’s Fund for Rural America.

“Keeping resources available at no cost to schools is a critical element of our mission, said Carrie Vogel, the Agricultural Literacy Coordinator for McLean County, “So partners like Compeer Financial play a really valuable role in making sure resources are fresh, relevant to ag, and most importantly, meet learning standards for Illinois schools.”

Recently Vogel, along with Kevin Daugherty and Chris Wyant from Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom, visited the Compeer’s Bloomington office to make a “special delivery” that included the newly released Pizza Ag Mag and the 2023-2024 Classroom Calendar. The topic of pizza continues to be a teacher and student favorite and one that comes with unique lessons and books that help students explore each element of a pizza to discover its ties to agriculture.

“It’s all about grabbing their attention, keeping them engaged and then connecting the dots to learning about agriculture, so pizza lessons have always been a fun way to talk about sausage made from pork, specialty crops like peppers and tomatoes, and cheese from a dairy cow,” Vogel shared.

An IAITC classroom calendar which mirrors the school calendar, begins in August and ends in July. Each month’s photos include seasonally accurate agriculture images, and ag facts on each day of the week.

“The calendar further reinforces connections to agriculture in daily life and raises awareness to the seasonality of agriculture around us,” Vogel continued. “Teachers hang a calendar in their classroom for students to read, utilize the facts in daily questions or bell ringer activities, or even incorporate them into morning announcements.”

Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom relies on funding partners to help reach close to 70% of school centers in the state. Compeer’s local giving team also made a donation to McLean County Agriculture in the Classroom.

“Supporting programs and materials that create a farm to food connection for children and their families is critically important to all aspects of agriculture,” said Karen Schieler, senior corporate giving specialist with Compeer. “Our Fund for Rural America supports Ag in the Classroom and these materials to make that connection and show that agriculture contributes to everyone’s quality of life.”

To learn more about Ag Literacy efforts and to connect with your local Agricultural Literacy Coordinator, visit www.agintheclassroom.org

The Compeer Financial Fund for Rural America is the corporate giving program of Compeer Financial, structured to support the cooperative’s mission to enrich agriculture and rural America. Compeer Financial’s Board of Directors has dedicated one percent of annual net earnings to support the Fund’s focus areas of education, youth engagement, rural development and community enrichment, agricultural advocacy and development, and cooperative initiatives. The Fund is managed by a Board of Trustees, made up of team members from Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin and members of the Compeer Financial Board of Directors. More information about opportunities available through the Fund can be found at Compeer.com/giving-back.