Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO TRAIN SECONDARY AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION INSTRUCTORS IN HOW TO BEST TEACH FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS LIKE RECORD KEEPING, PERSONAL FINANCE, AND AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS TO BE APPLIED WITH STUDENTS AND THEIR SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE (SAE) PROGRAMS. THE PROJECT WILL GIVE TEACHERS THE NECESSARY TOOLS THEY NEED TO IMPLEMENT CORE FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS TRAINING FOR THEIR STUDENTS AND ESTABLISH SAE PROGRAMS FOR ALL STUDENTS. WITH GOOD RECORD KEEPING SKILLS, AN UNDERSTANDING OF PERSONAL FINANCE, AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF BASIC AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS (ENTREPRENEURSHIP, PLACEMENT, RESEARCH, ETC.) SO THEY CAN DEVELOP A FOUNDATIONAL SAE THAT CAN LEAD TO AN IMMERSION SAE. FOUNDATIONAL SAES WILL ALLOW STUDENTS TO RESEARCH AND EXPLORE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND NATURAL RESOURCES INDUSTRY. THEY WILL COMPLETE INTEREST INVENTORIES AND IDENTIFY A CAREER GOAL. ULTIMATELY, STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO DESCRIBE AFNR CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND THE PATH TO ACHIEVING THEM. FOUNDATIONAL SAES WILL ALLOW STUDENTS TO DEVELOP THE EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS NEEDED TO SUCCEED IN BOTH COLLEGE AND THEIR CAREER, INCLUDING RESPONSIBILITY, COMMUNICATION, INNOVATION, CRITICAL THINKING, AND COLLABORATION. FROM A FOUNDATIONAL SAE, STUDENTS CAN THEN PROGRESS TO AN IMMERSION SAE WHICH COULD BE A PLACEMENT/INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE, AN OWNERSHIP/ENTREPRENEURSHIP EXPERIENCE, A RESEARCH EXPERIENCE, A SCHOOL-BASED ENTERPRISE, OR A SERVICE-LEARNING EXPERIENCE. BUT TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT ANY OF THESE, STUDENTS NEED TO HAVE THOSE FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS. FOR AGRICULTURE EDUCATORS TO TEACH THOSE FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS THEY NEED LESSONS, TRAINING ON HOW TO PLAN, TRAINING ON HOW TO IMPLEMENT, AND OTHER TOOLS THAT WILL ENSURE THEIR SUCCESS AS EDUCATORS.