Wyoming Agriculture in the Classroom (WAIC) is the grateful recipient of 20 Samsung Galaxy Tab A tablets and a check for $2000 donated by Spectrum. Spectrum representatives, Wyoming State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jillian Balow, and board and staff members from WAIC gathered in Cheyenne on November 6 to celebrate the gift and partnership.
Spectrum’s gift will support WAIC’s efforts to reach Wyoming teachers and students with high-quality educational materials from the Wyoming Stewardship Project (WSP.) Educators teaching units from the WSP are encouraged to fill out a questionnaire demonstrating the lesson’s impact. After an educator submits their feedback, one of WAIC’s Regional Advocates will send them a surprise gift box for their class! Their name is also entered into the drawing for one of the Samsung tablets.
Thank you, Spectrum, for helping us reach Wyoming’s classrooms, and grow stewards for our future!
5th Grade Students learn about stewardship in Yellowstone National Park as they simulate a geyser.
Wyoming Agriculture in the Classroom (WAIC) would like to congratulate Marissa Cornelison, the 2020 Educator of the Year. Mrs. Cornelison currently teaches 5th Grade at Mountain View Elementary in Uinta County.
Cornelison is active in her school, community, and WAIC programs. She has been involved with writing, revising, and teaching the Wyoming Stewardship Project over the past three years. Cornelison commented, “I am so pleased to have had the opportunity to be a part of the Stewardship Project in many aspects. I am constantly telling the people I meet about this wonderful project I am a part of and sharing why I think it is so exceptional.”
Over the last two years, Cornelison has taught the Wyoming Stewardship Project to every 5th Grade student at Mountain View Elementary. Cornelison appreciates the unbiased way information is presented, and the sense of stewardship and state pride the lessons inspire in her students. In support of Cornelison’s award, Toni Martin wrote, “Marissa is a skilled teacher… Peers, parents, and community members recognize her work ethic and dedication to her students.”
Kim Dolezal, Assistant Superintendent of Uinta County School District #4, commented, “Marissa is a true ambassador for Wyoming Agriculture in the Classroom.” WAIC is grateful for Cornelison’s continued enthusiasm and support of our educational programs.
As the 2020 Educator of the Year, Cornelison will be awarded a cash prize of $1,000 through Wyoming Agriculture in the Classroom. The award is funded by Mantha Phillips and the Wyoming Livestock Roundup.
GIS mapping is an amazing technology, allowing you, and your kids, to visualize and understand our world in a whole new way. Marking points of interest, mapping the length of features, and measuring the area of space. All of this, and more, are possible when combined into a simple easy-to-read map. So, let’s get started!
The sky is the limit when it comes to creating your own mapping project. As you can see in the training video, my kids and I created a simple map of our small acreage near Cheyenne. But, that’s only one idea! Take MapItFast along when you walk the dog, explore your local park, or go for a drive. After you’ve experimented with GIS mapping, we’d love to see what you’ve created. So, take a quick (30 second – 1 minute) video of your kids telling us about what they learned while creating their map. Send it to us at info@wyaitc.org. By sending us your video before May 15, 2020, you will be entered into our GIS Mapping Contest and eligible for some fun prizes!
Wyoming Agriculture in the Classroom is excited to be able to offer the use of MapItFast for this activity. This simple, quick-to-learn, mapping app has been generously donated by AgTerra Technologies of Sheridan. To sign up for your free account, please fill out our account sign up form. We’ll get you set up with a username and password within 1 business day. In the meantime, visit Google Play or the AppStore and download MapItFast to any GPS enabled device. And don’t worry, the app doesn’t use your mobile data, it connects to GPS Satellites for mapping and won’t sync your project to web browser until you’re back on WIFI.
MapItFast can be used on either mobile devices or through your favorite internet browser. To use MapItFast online visit https://mapitfast.agterra.com/ and enter your login information.
Wyoming Agriculture in the Classroom is the grateful recipient of a leased 2019 Ford EcoSport, thanks to a generous partnership between Laramie Peak Motors, Platte Valley Bank, and WyoTech. The businesses worked together to donate a three-year lease vehicle to assist the non-profit with traveling to elementary schools across the state. Wyoming Agriculture in the Classroom provides agriculture and natural resource lessons, aligned to standards, for 2nd-5th Grade classrooms statewide. The official launch of the Wyoming Stewardship Project will send staff across Wyoming to support elementary schools for program implementation and educator professional development opportunities. Jessie Dafoe, Executive Director stated, “We couldn’t be more thankful for this remarkable donation. This vehicle will cut our travel costs immensely, and allow us to impact more students and support educators at a greater level.”
Hat Six Travel Plaza has generously offered to sponsor the 2019 Barn Burner 5k races in Casper and Cheyenne. Here are few of the reasons why!
What attracted the Hat Six Travel Plaza to sponsor the Barn Burner 5k?
At Hat Six, we love that we are a locally owned company and are able to help out our local communities and organizations. What attracted us to the Barn Burner, is that the proceeds benefit the Wyoming Stewardship Project – and how much it can benefit ALL students in the state of Wyoming. We recognize that teaching these critical lessons on Wyoming’s history and major resources benefits everyone – including local businesses. We are part of the #2 industry in the State of Wyoming; Tourism. We hope that teaching about its history and how beneficial is it to our state’s success will drive students to learn more about the industry and want to pursue a career in the field someday. It’s long-term thinking – but you have to start somewhere. Ag in the Classroom has taken on the challenge of teaching students early and we are happy to be a part of it.
What are Hat Six’s activities and what do they involve?
Hat Six is a full-service Travel Center – including fuel, convenience store, food court restaurants, and a full-service bar. We even have a dog park for the 4-legged friends and a kids’ play area for the young ones!
In your opinion, what is the most important impact that the Wyoming Stewardship Project provides to Wyoming students and teachers?
It really gives teachers the tools to easily succeed at teaching the curriculum. You can talk all day long about how important it is to teach about Wyoming’s resources – but it needs to be easily accessible by teachers to make it happen. This is what Ag in the Classroom has done.
Do you have a message to share?
The owners of Hat Six Travel Center have been heavily involved in the top 3 industries in Wyoming – Oil & Gas, Tourism and Agriculture. Each area brings a different perspective and need to the State of Wyoming. We are excited that future generations will get the opportunity to learn about these industries and be stewards for generations to come.
Interested in how you can get involved? Donate here or contact Rindy West to learn more about sponsorship opportunities!
Thanks to the hospitality of the Lerwick family, fourth and fifth grade students from Pine Bluffs were able to visit a working ranch, and experience calving season first hand.
Students found real-world applications for math as they learned about feed rations; exploring exactly what it is that cattle eat. They then took a trip through the calving barn where they were given a chance to pet a calf and milk a first-calf-heifer. As they waited their turn to milk, students learned about colostrum, and its importance to young calves.
Timing worked out, and before heading into the house for lunch, students were able to witness the birth of a set of twin calves! This was a prime opportunity to see stewardship in action– as the calves were both trying to come at once and had to be pulled. Both heifer calves arrived safely, and students left with a new understanding and appreciation for the work that goes into producing their food.
Interested in sharing your ranch stewardship story through the Wyoming Stewardship Project? Contact Rindy West to learn more about becoming a local ranching contact.
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5th Grade Students learn about stewardship in Yellowstone National Park as they simulate a geyser.
