LEAD2BigSky Day 5: Connecting Industry and the Classroom

Today, we began our fifth day in Montana at the Great Falls Development Authority. The focus of the morning was to connect industry to the classroom. We spoke with Barnett Sporkin-Morrison, the director of Food and Ag Development Center. Barnett discussed his experiences working for UDSA and USAID. He provided insight to us about how connections to government agencies and entities can impact students interests. Our second speaker for the morning was Mark Black from Malteurop. He spoke about barley processing in Montana. As pre-service teaching candidates, it was interesting to hear about a section of agriculture not common in Pennsylvania. Malteurop has 23 locations, which would be an excellent opportunity for students interested in international and domestic internships.

Our second stop for the day was to Broadwater High School where we met Jemma Loughery. She spoke with us about work-life balance, the importance of perfecting a few classes at a time, and using grants to grow a program. We were given a tour of the agriculture facilities by a student. He showed us the metal shop, wood shop, chickens, composting area, and garden space. Mrs. Loughery emphasized the importance of making connections in the community and placing students with experts for SAE projects.

In the evening, we met with students majoring in Agricultural Sciences and Extension Education at Montana State University. We had a great time eating hamburgers, line dancing and conversing with the Montana State University faculty. One of the students shared how he was involved with the Young Farmers and Ranchers Club and has written legislation to forgive loans for students returning to the                                                                                 farm or ranch after college.

Food for thought: What federal, state, or local organizations could be used as a resource in the classroom?


Nicole Guise & Alyssa Landis