State Programs

State Summary 2010 — Nevada

State Contact

Mr. Dennis Hellwinkel
Nevada Agriculture in the Classroom
4 Hall Lane
Yerington, NV 89447
P: 775.303-2385
F: 775.674.4004
E: nvaitcdennis@wildblue.net
Website

Classroom Resources

An activity Book for students in grades 3 through 6th entitled Sheep and Wool in Nevada was developed and will be distributed beginning March 2010

Major Program Accomplishments or Outputs

Farm City Festivals and Ag. Days continue to be our most successful method of getting our message to teachers and their students. In 2010, the two largest events in Reno and Las Vegas were not held because of school district cuts to funding field trips. Several counties are conducting Ag Days on site at schools to deal with budget cuts. We distributed approximately 13,000 of the Sheep and Wool in Nevada books to 3rd. thru 6th grade students. The increased focus on school gardens has helped create an awareness of AITC programs and materials but a lack of resources and staff has limited our ability to capitalize on the increased interest. Several school gardens were started with one time grant funding from goverment programs only to be abandoned when they were left to the schools to maintain.

Major Program Impacts or Outcomes

1. Students in over 8000 Nevada classrooms are able to identify what the State of Nevada looks like.

2. Students can associate the agricultural products within each of the 17 counties

3. over 4400students and their teachers have a better understanding of where their food and fiber comes from by attending AITC Farm/City events in 2010

4. Nearly 100 Middle and High School students improved their knowledge of agriculture and their own ability to speak in public about agriculture by assisting with stations at AITC events

5. 3rd. thru 6th grade students in over 400 classrooms have an understanding of the histroy, culture, and economic importance of the sheep industry in Nevada through the use of the activity book- Sheep and Wool in Nevada

Biosketch

Native Nevadan

BS-Ag Business-University of Nevada

Dairy owner/operator for 30+ yrs.

past president- Nevada Farm Bureau

involved with Nevada AITC for over 20 years

State Coordinator-6th year

executive director Nevada Heritage Foundation

program director- Agriculture Council or Nevada

State Coordinator-Project Food, Land, and People

Regional Banking Officer-Farm Bureau Bank