Food Land and People Workshop (at the Capital Area Tech Center – February 2, 2012, 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM) All participants will receive the 55-lesson Project Food, Land and People Resource for Learning, The Maine Wild Blueberry Curriculum, Growing a Nation CD, and more as well as training in these materials and exposure to the Greenhouse program at the school. Certificates for .6 CEU's or 6 contact hours awarded. All the lessons in the curricula have been previously aligned with the MLR. The cost for the workshop is $35 ($50.00 after Jan. 20th) and includes a Luncheon prepared by the culinary arts program. Registration flyer & Agenda Read "ME" Agriculture 2012, March 12-16 Read "ME" Agriculture has been a very successful program since 2008, reaching over 30,000 Maine students. We are pleased to announce its return during Ag Week 2012. Volunteers will read and give books about agriculture to Pre Kindergarten through 4th Grade Classrooms across the state. They will tell the students about their farms, programs or connections to agriculture and leave lessons and information for the teachers to use, all supplied by MAITC. Funding for this project is a direct result of the Maine agricultural specialty license plate and grants from USDA. 2012 Grant Request for Applications Available As a direct Result of the Agriculture Specialty License plate $60,000 was awarded in 2011 for Agricultural Education Projects. $60,000 will also be available in 2012. The plate has provided over $140,000 in Grants since it was released in 2007 to schools, FFA chapters and mainstream education. THANK YOU to plate owners! The 2012 Application forms are due on June 15th by 4 o’clock. Please see the General Overview for all grants and specific pages for each grant category for eligibility details. 2012 Maine School Garden Day April 28, 2012 at the Buckfield Jr./ Sr. High School Annette Caldwell & Gretchen Kimball will showcase their National Award winning garden program. Students, professionals, local farmers, Food Corp volunteers and others will lead workshops and have exhibits designed to aid school gardens all across the state. For all teachers K – 12th grade Registration Flyer 2012 Teacher of the Year   Erik Wade, the science and mathematics teacher for grades 6, 7 & 8 at Hope Elementary School has been named the 2012 MAITC Teacher of the Year. His work to develop a school-wide composting program as well as the integration of a garden and greenhouse has earned this recognition. Mr. Wade has adapted lessons that include concepts from the garden project into all 3 grade levels and align to the state and national standards.