ALASKA

State Contact: Ms. Victoria Naegele Alaska Agriculture in the Classroom 9788 North Waldo Reed Rd. Palmer, AK 99645

Phone: (907) 746-2172 Fax: (907) 746-2173 E-mail: akaitc@alaskafb.org Website

---

Major projects accomplished this year

• Grant funding allowed completion of a new Lesson Plan CD for grades 7-12, which was distributed statewide. Alaska AITC solicited and received designation of Alaska Ag Day as the first Tuesday in May from the state Legislature. Grant funds will promote the first Alaska Ag Day activities in 2006. An Ag Day Poster contest was conducted late 2005 and concluded in early 2006. In-service programs were held in the second-largest school district in the state in spring and fall of 2005. Wrote and designed a booklet on Alaska soils in conjunction with NRCS and Alaska Association of Conservation Districts. Submitted Alaska AITC curriculum to second-largest school district for inclusion in its approved materials. Reached teachers through Project WET workshops thanks to partnership with Alaska Association of Conservation Districts. Revamped webpages. Interfaced information with AACD website. Presented AITC activities at the Alaska State Fair and at Alaska Ag Symposium. Monthly column in fastest-growing region in Alaska presents ag and natural resources information to readers.

Major impacts the program had this year

• In-service presentations elicited positive response from nearly all participants. About 95 percent of teachers at the in-service presentations took AITC printed materials and all took the classroom CD. Similar success was recorded at the Project WET workshops where AITC materials were made available.
• 500 AKAITC bookmarks were reprinted by the Division of Agriculture at the request of one school district that wanted the bookmarks as part of the teachers' annual Teachers' Day thank-you packets.
• List of interested teacher contacts grew about another 50 percent, including more teachers in areas of Alaska dominated by Native populations.