Your State’s Future Stewards
Empowering Wyoming’s Future Economic Drivers
Wyoming Agriculture in the Classroom Agency Endowment Fund
This story is from our Spring 2024 newsletter. See the full newsletter here!
Imagine you are a student in a 4th grade Wyoming classroom. Your teacher asks you to design your own ranch. But then a drought hits the area! Now you need to keep your ranch running through the drought with shortages of water or grass. A predator is spotted in the area—how do you protect your animals? For students outside of Wyoming, this may seem unusual. But these are real-life problems ranchers face. By teaching students to problem-solve today, they learn to care for Wyoming in the future.
Because of the hands-on activities Wyoming Agriculture in the Classroom (WAITC) provides teachers, these lessons are very real (and fun) for students across the state.
Wyoming Agriculture in the Classroom is a nonprofit that helps students learn about Wyoming industries – natural resources, agriculture, and outdoor recreation – so they become our future problem-solvers. WAITC believes the best way to do that is by getting into classrooms and supporting educators.
“Kids need to know where their food comes from, how to be a good steward of the land in Wyoming, and about all the industries which support that,” says Andrew Joannides, Executive Director of Wyoming Agriculture in the Classroom.
WAITC’s stewardship-based curriculum is Wyo Wonders. They also have other programs such as Educator of the Year and Bookmark and Beyond. Teachers and districts can opt in to these programs and all are free for use.
Jamie Keisel, a teacher, accepting her Educator of the Year award!
“Teachers and students can get excited about the lessons,” says Andrew. “Educators can use this to supplement their curriculum or add in what they choose. They are passionate about it and students enjoy learning about things that are fun.”
Wyoming Agriculture in the Classroom created an endowed fund with WYCF over 20 years ago to ensure educators, youth, and families can enjoy hands-on learning about Wyoming for years to come.
To showcase their understanding and appreciation of Wyoming’s essential resources, students from grades 2-5 create a bookmark illustrating a Wyoming resource message. Approximately ten winning designs get printed and distributed around the state!
“The fund with WYCF gives us flexibility to operate,” says Andrew. “We can travel, print materials for teachers, and meet with people and have conversations about our programs.”
Endowed funds like this, fueled by generous donors, help ensure that WAITC’s mission is met for the long-term.
The ranch you imagined might not be real for you, but our youth may need to fix these problems when they grow up. Because of your support, Wyoming students will feel confident and ready to solve real-life problems for Wyoming as adults.
Learn more about Wyoming Agriculture in the Classroom at wyaitc.org and explore educator resources.