Meyersdale Area FFA celebrates Ag Literacy Week

Members of the Meyersdale Area High School FFA Chapter recently visited youngsters in elementary school to observe Pennsylvania Ag Literacy Week – March 13 through 17. FFA members visited students in kindergarten through second grade, where they read a book and helped students with accompanying activities.

This year’s book selection was The Day the Farmers Quit, by Autumn Pequignot, with illustrations by Kate Fallhee. One of the goals of Pennsylvania Ag Literacy Week is to share the story of agriculture and teach students about the importance of agriculture in their daily lives. In The Day the Farmers Quit, students learn the impact agriculture has on every one of us each and every day. This year’s book is an encouraging story of a boy that learns he can’t live without the hard work of his farmer friends.

Participating members included: Bailey Knotts, Carrie Engle, Evan Knotts, Chris Engle, Jimmy Kretchman, Aidan Mosholder, Natalie Trowbridge, Estella Friend, Bridgette Beal, Addisyn Hetz, Maddie Engle, Katelyn Laws and Maddie Dively.

“This week is to teach children about agriculture through literacy. I love to share things I enjoy with other people, especially younger kids. I enjoyed doing the activity with them. They were amazing! They were willing to learn, which made it much better for us to teach them. I had fun and hope they all did too,” Bridgette Beal explained.

“The goal of the project is to expose kids to agriculture. The project is based on what farmers give them can help them make a better relationship with agriculture,” Jimmy Kretchman said. “I volunteered because I feel it is my privilege as an FFA member to inform and involve more people in agriculture.”

Aidan Mosholder said sharing this particular lesson and story is especially important to him on a personal level.

“It is important because we can talk to younger people about agriculture, and let the younger generation know how hard farmers work, and without them, we would have nothing. I myself am a dairy farmer, and I volunteered because I wanted younger kids to understand how much work farmers do for us.”

After reading the book, FFA members led students through a special activity entitled “If the farmers quit, what would you miss at your house?” The book was then donated to the classroom teacher along with educational activities and resources to use throughout the school year.