• Our 2005 calendar focused on commodity months. It included interesting facts about the commodities and related websites. The calendar features state winners and two honorable mentions from our statewide high school art contest.
• The summer staff development courses for teachers are becoming popular throughout the state. Georgia is a very large state so we offer at least four classes in different locations. The credit is issued through a college, RESA (Regional Educational Service Agency, Georgia Department of Education) or local school system. The course is a minimum of three days and teachers receive 2 SDU credits. In 2004 we hosted four courses with approximately 25 teachers in each. This was also the first year that other trainers were hired to conduct one of the classes. Until this year, the AITC Coordinator has been the only trainer.
• We provide training at the local, district and state level to encourage our volunteers to be more active in their local schools with Ag in the Classroom. We are beginning to see results of this training as more counties are developing volunteer reading programs and making classroom presentations. AITC presentations are made to volunteers at each of the ten district women's meetings in the fall, the Women's Leadership Conference in the spring and at local county meetings.
• The Ag in the Classroom Coordinator worked with other team members on a project developed through Governor Perdue's Ag Awareness Day initiative which started in 2004. Their website can be accessed through www.agawareness.com. In 2005 the project was greatly expanded into a very successful event at the state capital. More than 450 students and their teachers attended the event at the Train Depot. There were also about 35 exhibitors representing all of Georgia's commodity groups and major agricultural organizations.

Major impacts the program had this year

• The only numbers I can provide is that 100% of the teachers who attend our summer courses indicate they will use them in their regular teaching curriculum. Our materials are not mandated, although they are matched to the current state standards. We will also match them to the new standards which will be implemented beginning in 2006.