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Celebrating Food and Ag Education
Agriculture is the leading STEM industry of the First State
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The global population is predicted to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, and to feed everyone, it’s estimated that global food production will need to increase by up to 70% in the next 30 years. For farmers to produce more supply, they need to know every detail about crop planning, animal health, weather patterns, compliance, chemical regulations, contracts and more. As the world population grows, so does the need for food, agriculture resources and workers.
In Delaware, farms occupy approximately 500,000 acres of land and provide many of the food resources nationally and world-wide. Ag careers go beyond the farm and tractor, and can range from working in the fields to working in a corporation. It is amazing how many jobs are related to Ag.
This month’s issue highlights Food and Ag Education efforts and recognition across the State. We are especially proud to share the “STEM Is Everywhere at the State Fair” contest winners!
We hope you enjoy this Edition!
— Randy Guschl, Executive Director
Delaware Foundation for Science and Mathematics Education (DFSME)
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DFSME’s August “Shining Light Award” Honoree:
Kellie Michaud, Smyrna High School Agriscience Educator
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On July 27 at the Delaware State Fair on Governor’s Day, DFSME awarded this month’s Shining Light Award to Kellie Michaud, Agriscience Educator and FFA Coordinator. (L to R) George Class-Peters Jr., Deputy Principal Assistant to the Secretary of Agriculture; Bethany Hall-Long, Delaware Lt. Governor; Awardee Kellie Michaud, and Kellie’s FFA students Rylee Mancuso, Sam Dulin and Cara Nacrelli. | |
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This month’s DFSME Shining Light Award honors Kellie Michaud, Agriscience Educator at Smyrna High School, Smyrna School District. Kellie has been in Ag education for 19 years and has taught at Smyrna High School for 13 years. She teaches in the Plant & Natural Resource Systems pathway, which includes greenhouse management, ornamental horticulture and landscape design. She also teaches AP Environmental Science and is a member of Delaware Association of Agriscience Educators (DAAE) and is very involved with FFA.
This year at the Delaware State Fair, Kellie’s students showcased their agriscience fair projects. These projects were judged in June at the State FFA Agriscience Fair CDE. One student placed first in the state with her impacts of grey water on cool season turfgrass, while two other students placed second in the state with their project which researched the public perception of converting productive farmland into solar farms.
Early in her career, Kellie was selected to participate in the National Agriscience Teacher Ambassador Program. The Academy serves to train agriculture teachers on how to enhance the science that is already present in agriculture, as well as develop students as problem solvers and thinkers through the inquiry-based teaching method.
We are pleased to recognize Kellie Michaud as a superlative educator!
Kellie Michaud was nominated by Daniele Kidd, Department Chair/Collegiate FFA Advisor,
Applied Agriculture Dept., Delaware Tech/Owens Campus
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“STEM Is Everywhere at the State Fair”
DFSME State Fair Contest Winners and their Entries!
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First Place Winner: Chance Wright
4th Grade, Greenwood Mennonite School, won $250 for his winning entry:
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Hi, my name is Chance Wright. I'm 9 years old and a member of the Peach Blossom 4-H Club. I had many first time contest experiences at this year’s fair, including 4-H public speaking, woodworking judging and livestock judging. This was my fourth year showing market lambs from our small flock of Hampshires. I'm fortunate that both of my lambs placed in the top of their weight class, which means they made it to the Junior Livestock Auction. Both of these lambs were born on our farm. Through raising a market lamb from birth and training for the livestock judging contest, I am better at understanding the process of raising animals for market. I am learning what a quality livestock animal should look like by judging muscle and fat on body parts like the leg, rack, and loin. My favorite part of raising sheep is spending time with my family while halter-breaking and exercising the market lambs. I can't wait for the next Delaware State Fair. Come see me and my lambs in the sheep barn!
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Second Place Winner: Adolfo Dejesus Sierra-Capistran
11th Grade, Christiana High School, won $100 with his winning essay:
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The Delaware State Fair is a unique experience, where families gather to enjoy food, entertainment, and each other's company. But did you know that behind all this fun is a strong environmentally friendly effort, made possible by advances in the STEM industry? Let's take a closer look at the fairgrounds' commitment to sustainability and how the contributions of science and technology have enabled this mission.
To begin with, many of the food vendors at the fair are family-owned, which translates to a plethora of benefits for the environment, including locally sourced ingredients that reduce carbon footprints. The introduction of advanced irrigation technology and cashless payment systems are just a couple of examples of how the STEM industry has enabled businesses to be more environmentally friendly.
Additionally, the fairgrounds has implemented a solar-powered phone charging station and water bottle refill stations as just two of the many notable environmentally friendly efforts. Water fountains have also been refined with more efficient parts and materials, making them a greener choice for visitors who frequent the fairgrounds.
The Delaware State Fair has made great strides in becoming a sustainable and eco-friendly environment, and local vendors are an integral part of that effort. The innovations of science and technology have played a critical role in making it all a reality. From roasted corn to the ice rink, STEM has impacted our environment for the better in significant and small ways. It is a clear demonstration of how science and technology can make a positive impact in our communities.
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Third Place Winner: Callan McCowan
5th Grade, Lord Baltimore Elementary School, won $50 for his winning entry:
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This is a picture of me with a reusable bag next to the horseshoe crab exhibit at the fair. A reusable bag is an engineered solution to the problem of plastic grocery bags that are usually only used once. When I use this bag that I got at the fair it will help keep the oceans clean, which will help these very old creatures be able to keep living for many more years. Horseshoe crabs are very old living fossils, the technology of a better bag will help keep their environment from being more polluted.
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Congratulations!
2023 DE State Fair
STEM Queens!
(L to R)
Sophia Hughes
2023 Miss Delaware’s Teen
Avery Derrick
2023 Dairy Princess
Brielle Carter
2023 Mar-Del Watermelon Queen
Emma Holston
2023 Peach Queen
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Odessa High School will represent the First State against teams from all over the U.S. as part of the four-day National FFA Convention scheduled to begin on Wednesday, November 1st in Indianapolis. | |
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News from Delaware Forest Service:
Odessa High FFA Students Place First in Forestry Challenge
Odessa High School in Townsend placed first among six Delaware high school FFA chapters that squared off at Brecknock County Park in Camden last week at the annual “Forestry Career Development Event (CDE)," a challenging test of tree identification skills, forestry tools and knowledge, and math-related abilities. Each team consisted of four students who answered both individual and team-based questions. Led by their instructor Jeff Billings, Odessa also fielded the event's individual overall winner, Natalie Holdren. The event was held in cooperation with the Delaware Department of Agriculture's Delaware Forest Service.
Schools represented this year were Odessa, Woodbridge, Smyrna, Christiana, Middletown and Sussex Central. Delaware Forest Service Trainer-Educator Ashley Melvin developed the curriculum and organized the event, which tested student knowledge in six separate skill areas: tree identification, equipment identification and troubleshooting, timber stand improvement, compass and pacing, board-foot volume estimation, and an individual written examination.
According to the FFA, “Career Development Events help students develop the abilities to think critically, communicate clearly, and perform effectively in a competitive job market.”
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DE Student Anglers from Schools Across the State
Recognized as Young Environmentalists of the Year
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(L to R): Lt. Gov. Hall-Long, Young Environmentalists Chris Runde and Spencer Tuxward, Gov. John Carney, Michael Hopkins, Delaware Youth Fishing Tournament New Castle County winner, statewide and Brody Spencer, Sussex County fishing tournament winner, Vedic Mukherjee (accepting his sister, Iveena’s award), DNREC Secretary Garvin, and Bristol Brown, Kent County fishing tournament winner. Photo courtesy of DNREC.
DNREC award winners were recognized by Gov. John Carney and Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long and by DNREC Sec. Shawn M. Garvin on Governor’s Day at the Delaware State Fair.
To read the full article on Delaware News, click here.
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Delaware students from Delcastle, Polytech and Sussex Tech high schools brought home Top 10 and Skill Point awards from a national SkillsUSA leadership conference. | |
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SkillsUSA Students Earn National Recognition
Forty-one Delaware SkillsUSA high school students joined more than 16,000 participants in the 2023 SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta. Students participated in events involving construction trades, video broadcasting, graphic arts, automotive trades, and leadership skills. Four Delaware students placed in the top 10, and 11 Delaware students received Skill Point awards, which represent the pinnacle of achievement in demonstrating proficiency and workplace readiness in a student’s occupational specialty. In addition, Delaware was recognized by the National SkillsUSA office for having the largest high school membership percentage increase and the largest overall membership percentage increase for the 2022-2023 school year.
The advisers and their students, who were mostly rising juniors, returned energized from Atlanta. They are ready to engage and help grow SkillsUSA in Delaware and allow our students the opportunity to perform at outstanding levels in challenging job interviews.
SkillsUSA is a career and technical student organization that empowers its members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens. Its vision is to produce the most highly skilled workforce in the world, providing every member the opportunity for career success.
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Future educators from Smyrna High School were named national champions at the Educators Rising National Conference. | |
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Future Educators Win Big at National Conference
Delaware Teacher Academy students and advisors from across Delaware attended the 2023 Educators Rising National Conference in Orlando, FL.
In total, 18 Delaware individuals or teams were recognized with Top 10 honors. Smyrna High School had 11 individuals or teams place in the Top 10 and was crowned the 2023 National Champion.
Students from the following schools/school districts represented Delaware:
• Appoquinimink High School / Appoquinimink School District
• Concord High School / Brandywine School District
• Cape Henlopen High School / Cape Henlopen School District
• Sussex Central High School / Indian River School District
• Laurel High School / Laurel School District
• Howard High School of Technology / New Castle County Vocational Technical School District
• McKean High School / Red Clay Consolidated School District
• Seaford High School / Seaford School District
• Smyrna High School / Smyrna School District
• Delaware Technical Community College
Seaford High School’s Taylor Jenkins was elected as the national vice president of service. Jenkins is only the third student in Delaware to be elected as a national officer with Educators Rising.
Educators Rising competitions are performance-based competitive events in which aspiring educators demonstrate their knowledge, skills, and leadership in education.
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August's 2023 Outstanding Delaware Women in STEM Honoree
Delaware’s (Un)Hidden Figures
At the Proclamation Signing on March 28, Million Women Mentors Delaware (MWM-DE) marked the occasion by announcing the 2023 Outstanding Delaware Women in STEM honorees. This annual recognition celebrates the groundbreaking achievements of these Delaware women in STEM, as well as illuminate the many STEM career paths for Delaware girls. Each month we highlight a 2023 Honoree.
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Tanya Rogers-Vickers is Director of Environmental Compliance at Mountaire Farms, where she is responsible for all environmental and wastewater activities for the largest single poultry processing facility in America.
Through her work, she demonstrates a mind for science, but a heart for proper care of our environment. Among her notable achievements, Tanya is Environmental representative for the Delmarva Chicken Association. She also takes great pride in engaging students on the importance of improving our environmental impact.
Million Women Mentors is the premier network dedicated to encouraging girls and women around the world to pursue, persist and succeed in STEM careers. The Delaware STEM Council and DFSME are partners in the event along with MWM-DE and the Office of the Governor, State of Delaware.
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Apply Now! Application Is Open!
The Congressional App Challenge 2023
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Each year, Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester’s office participates in the Congressional App Challenge to help encourage middle and high school age students to get involved in the STEM field.
This competition is open to all Delaware students who meet the eligibility requirements, regardless of coding experience. Students of all skill levels are strongly encouraged to participate! The Delaware winner will be selected at the end of the year by a panel of judges and will be featured on CongressionalAppChallenge.us.
The winning app will also be eligible for display in the U.S. Capitol along with other state winners from across the country.
The application is open! Apply now for the Congressional App Challenge!
To register for the 2023 Congressional App Challenge click here.
Deadline to register & complete the app is November 1, 2023.
Officially launched by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2015, this nationwide effort allows students to compete against their peers by creating an application (“app”) for desktop/PC, web, tablet, mobile, raspberry Pi or other devices. All programming languages are accepted, such as C, C++, Java, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, or "block code". The Challenge is designed to promote innovation and engagement in computer science.
For more info, visit the Challenge website at CongressionalAppChallenge.us, email StudentSupport@CongressionalAppChallenge.us, or contact Jacob Wasserman at Jacob.Wasserman@mail.house.gov.
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Check Out this FREE Resource! | |
The Agriscience Discovery Zone is a free resource created to engage, inform, and inspire high school-level students to increase the number who pursue careers in the field of agriscience. Developed in partnership with Corteva Agriscience, the Discovery Zone presents carefully curated, informative, and engaging content in the form of challenges and activities, career profiles, videos and career ebooks.
Educators can use this page to expose students to the variety of career pathways in Agriscience and how they can make a difference in the world through Food and Agriculture.
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The various artifacts at the Treasures of the Sea Exhibit at the Owens Campus in Georgetown can be seen free, as part of the Smithsonian Magazine’s annual Museum Day Live!, on Friday, September 22, 2023. | |
“Treasures of the Sea”
A One-day FREE Exhibit at Delaware Tech, Georgetown on Sept. 22
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Admission to the Treasures of the Sea exhibit in the Stephen J. Betze Library on the Owens Campus of Delaware Technical Community College is free on September 22 as part of the Smithsonian Magazine’s annual Museum Day Live! — an annual event hosted by Smithsonian Magazine in which participating museums across the country offer free admission to anyone presenting a Museum Day Live! ticket.
The Treasures of the Sea exhibit features treasures recovered from the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de Atocha. On September 22, the exhibit will be open from 10 am - 2 pm. Parking is available next to the library building.
To get your ticket for two free admissions, visit Smithsonianmag.com/museumday. The Treasures of the Sea will accept both printed and digital tickets. For more information about free admission to the Treasures of the Sea exhibit, call 302-259-6150.
In addition, this exhibit is on permanent display at DelTech Owens Campus, 21179 College Drive, Georgetown, DE 19947. Mon, Wed, Fri 10am - 4pm. There is an entry fee.
TreasuresoftheSea.org
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The Discovery Education partnership with the Delaware Department of Education and DuPont continues throughout the 23-24 school year for our middle and high school educators and students. Trusted for over 20 years, we bring innovative EdTech solutions and the highest quality content to educators around the world. It all starts with our award-winning K-12 platform that teachers can rely on to design and deliver the most engaging and real-world learning experiences.
For the informational flyer, click here.
For more information, contact Andrea Gardner, Statewide and Strategic Partnership Manager at agardner@discoveryed.com.
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Application Deadline: September 30
Educators Can Earn Cash Prizes!
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Delaware STEM Educator Awards recognize a teacher, or team of teachers at Elementary (K-5), Middle (6-8) and High School (9-12) levels that demonstrate STEM innovation and excellence through teaching, academic collaboration, and student engagement.
Cash Prizes up to $7,500 Awarded!
Winners at each level are eligible for a cash award up to $7,500 as a thank you for their commitment to STEM in Delaware and the success of our students. Winners will be honored November 9, 2023 at the 9th Annual Delaware STEM Educator Awards Event.
The Community Awards are open to organizations that coordinate and organize STEM activities for youth in grades pre-K through 12 that typically, but not exclusively, take place outside the school environment.
For more information and to download application and instructions:
| For application inquiries or for an Awards coordinator, email DelawareSTEMawards@gmail.com. | |
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September
Discovery Education
Course: Getting Started with Discovery Education:
Participants learn how to navigate Discovery Education’s K-12 learning platform
on Sept 12 at 2:30 p.m.; Sept 22 at 2:00 p.m.; Sept 27 at 3:00 p.m.
Course: Supporting Literacy Across All Disciplines with Discovery Education
on Sept 14 at 3:00 p.m.; Sept 20 at 2:30 p.m. Sept 29 at 2:00 p.m.
For Course description and to download the flyer, click here.
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September 2
National Food Bank Day
Help a neighbor, a friend, coworker or a child by making a donation. Volunteer at your local food bank.
Food banks take nonperishable food items and cash donations every day.
Check their needs list for the fresh items they are seeking.
Use #NationalFoodBankDay to give your local food bank
a shout-out and to share on social media.
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Save the Date! October 1 • 11am-3pm
Coast Day – Lewes, Delaware – FREE
Beach enthusiasts, seafood lovers, and anyone curious about the wonders of the sea
can learn about the state’s rich marine resources.
Coast Day highlights how UD scientists, staff, and students are improving understanding
of ocean environments and serving coastal communities. Interact with researchers,
tour ships, hands-on activities, and presentations on a range of oceanic topics.
University of Delaware’s Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lewes, DE
For more information, click here.
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Register Now! October 13, 2023
Delaware Mathematics & STEM Equity Conferences
A powerful day of professional learning dedicated to Equity in Math and STEM.
The Conferences engage PK20 educators, policy makers, and business leaders in meaningful learning experiences that are designed to leverage their capacity as agents of change.
Sessions include highly respected local and national leaders who will engage participants
in conversations and learning focused on positively influencing and impacting classroom
and systems level equity challenges in education.
Hosted by the Delaware Mathematics Coalition, Delaware Department of Education,
Delaware Foundation for Science and Mathematics Education, and Delaware STEM Council.
To Register for the Oct. 13 Math Equity Conference, click here.
Stay tuned for further details & registration for the Oct. 13 STEM Equity Conference.
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Save the Date! November 9, 2023
The 9th Annual Delaware STEM Educator Awards Ceremony
Live Zoom Videocast from Buena Vista Country Estate in New Castle, Delaware
Co-hosted by Delaware STEM Council and DFSME, the event announces winners at the
Elementary School (K-5), Middle School (6-8) and High School (9-12) levels, the
Community Educator Award, the Jon Manon STEAM Team Educator Award and more!
For more information and to apply now
for the 2023 Delaware STEM Educator Awards, click here.
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Save the Date! February 29, 2024
The 5th Annual Delaware Youth Environmental (Yes!) Summit
for All Delaware High School Students
Gauge where your school is now on the path to a greener future.
To begin your school's journey, think about your current sustainability status
and focus areas to contemplate change for your campus.
For more information about the Summit, click here.
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Save the Date! April 8, 2024
Total Solar Eclipse
A total solar eclipse will darken a swath of North America as the Moon blocks the light
of the Sun for a few minutes on April 8, 2024. In addition to casting a breathtaking,
passing shadow over the heads of millions of people, this total solar eclipse gives
scientists a unique opportunity to study the Sun, Earth, and their interactions.
For more information and to visit NASA’s Solar System Exploration website, click here.
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Our Sponsors & Supporters | |
DFSME thanks the following organizations for contributions to STEM education in Delaware. | |
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Delaware Foundation for Science and Math Education
100 W. 10th Street, Suite 612
Wilmington, DE 19801
Tel: 302.397.0034 | Fax: 302.397.0036
Email: anne.dfsme@gmail.com
www.dfsme.org
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©2023 Delaware Foundation for Science and Math Education
501(c)(3) Education nonprofit dealing with K-16 STEM education in Delaware schools.
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