2020
Cultivate Careers
Home
Contributor/Checkoff:
New York Corn & Soybean Growers Association
Category:
Sustainable Production
Keywords:
ExtensionIndustry outreach
Parent Project:
This is the first year of this project.
Lead Principal Investigator:
Mark Wittmeyer, Cornell Cooperative Extension
Co-Principal Investigators:
Project Code:
SYBN 20 005
Contributing Organization (Checkoff):
New York Corn & Soybean Growers Association
$6,065
Leveraged Funding (Non-Checkoff):
This program has previously been funded 84% by funds from the NYS Department of Education secured by NYS Senators Gallivan & Young for the past five years. The remaining 16% of the funding has been and will continue to be funded this year by the Livingston County Board of Supervisors. Thanks to this funding, along with program reserve funds and donations, the program is able to continue as-is for the short term. Due to the impact and success of the AITC Program, the CCE Board of Directors has committed to supplementing any funds needed to continue the program as is until June 30, 2020. However, it is the expectation from the board that the program will actively pursue and secure alternative funding to both minimize the amount of supplemental funding needed from the CCE Board of Directors as well as fund the program after June 30, 2020. Additionally, CCE has just implemented a grain commodity donation drive as a program fundraiser and will continue to seek additional grant funding.
Show More
Institution Funded:
Cornell Cooperative Extension
$6,065
Brief Project Summary:

The Livingston County Ag in the Classroom Program is trying to take the stigma away from agricultural jobs. Cultivate Careers is a one-day intensive career education seminar for students focusing on those careers in New York that serve our soybean operations. Our philosophy is that if we reach them early, before 11th grade, we have the potential to get students viewing agricultural careers with renewed interest. This model program will be able to be shared with other CCE Associations and organizations.
We will create, promote, and implement Cultivate Careers in multiple schools in Livingston County. The soybean growers need our youth to see that there are good-paying, growing job opportunities...

Unique Keywords:
#education
Information And Results
Project Deliverables

• Engage at least 1000 students from five Livingston County school districts to share careers related to soybean operations and in areas of science, technology, and soybean utilization.
• Youth engaged in Cultivate Careers will increase by 50% their overall awareness, knowledge and attitude about the soybean, soybean growers/farmers, on-farm practices, products and career opportunities
• Youth will increase their overall perception by 75% of the soybean and soybean growers/farmers and the economic role of these operations and careers in the community
• Overall participant perception of sustainability of soybean production and environmental sustainability will increase by 50%
• Students will increase their understanding of and appreciation for the many, varied job and career opportunities available in both the soybean industry and production agriculture by 50%
• By way of interacting with ag professionals that serve soybean operations, youth will will increase by 50% their confidence and knowledge about science and technology used in soybean production during the Cultivate Career Day

Final Project Results

AG IN THE CLASSROOM
CULTIVATE CAREERS CAREER DAY
A youth focused soybean related career event

Final Grant Project Progress Report

This event was scheduled for March 20, 2020. Staff spent 115.7 hours planning and coordinating the event for an expected attendance of 302 students from four Livingston County school districts. Twenty-six agriculture professionals, who volunteered their time, were scheduled to share their personal career experience and knowledge with students in both an “open house” and group presentation format. Unfortunately, the days leading up to the event coincided with the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic forcing the host school to cancel the event. Ultimately, New York State schools were ordered to close just days after the cancellation and are still closed indefinitely as of the time of this report.

The United Soybean Research Retention policy will display final reports with the project once completed but working files will be purged after three years. And financial information after seven years. All pertinent information is in the final report or if you want more information, please contact the project lead at your state soybean organization or principal investigator listed on the project.