State Programs
State Summary 2010 — Maine
State Contact
Ms. Willie Grenier
Maine Agriculture in the Classroom
28 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0028
P: 207.287.5522
F: 207.287.7548
E: maitca@maine.gov
Website
Classroom Resources
"Agriculture for ME" - A 28 page children's book with real pictures of and facts about Maine (ME) agriculture. It is written in a Dr. Seuss rhyme for grades PK - 4. This will be accompanied by a Activity Planning Book for teachers and other educators in 2011 with alignments, links and ideas for extensions to the material for the older students in the program.
Major Program Accomplishments or Outputs
In 2010 MAITC wrote and publishedAgriculture for ME" and used the book in over 500 classrooms through volunteers during National Ag Week. We reached about 11,000 students. After that we began to create an activity planning book for 2011. Our MAITC Grant Program started in 2009 and this year we increased funding by $20,000 to award $50,000 directly into the K - 12 education arena in Maine. This year we added a category of grants for School Gardens @ $2,000 each. The license plate has increased in popularity slightly with about 13,000 plates on Maine vehicles. Our 5-day Summer Teacher's Institute continues to be popular with teachers that receive Continuing Education Units for recertification.
New in 2009,the Maine School Garden Day doubled in size. We hosted 80 teachers. Working with the Cooperative Extension programs and the Maine School Garden Network in 2010 we hope to have 100 teachers this coming spring. This year we doubled the pre-service teachers we trained at the State teacher's college.
We have also increased our collaborative efforts and work closely with the Maine Farm to School Network, Maine School Garden Network and several other emerging focus groups to coordinate efforts and give teachers a better resource for information that they can access in one location.
Major Program Impacts or Outcomes
13000 Ag. Specialty license plates were sold generating $130,000 for Ag Education.
21 Ag. Education grants provided $50,000 across the state.
Over 10000 students were exposed to volunteer presentations on agriculture.
800 Maine Farmers and agriculturalists volunteered for agricultural education in 2010.
Biosketch
I have BS degree in Animal Science & Vocational Agriculture.
I was raised on a dairy farm in Maine and come from a long line of farmers and outdoors men and women. I have taught Elementary, Middle and High School, been a 4-H Leader and Executive Committee Member for the Cooperative Extension in Maine, taught Adult Education, managed a garden center and done employee training for Agway an Eastern Farm and Garden Cooperative. I am a floral designer and own with my family a small business that decorates weddings and parties.