Winter is presenter for Ag in the Classroom
By ROWENA PLETT
Staff writer
Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom (KFAC) develops educational programs for school children and other groups and organizations.
Krista Winter of Hillsboro is employed as presenter of the programs. She is the daughter of Warren and Jean Winter and assists in their dairy operation.
She graduated in May from Eastern University in Pennsylvania with a degree in music and currently is employed at Ag Power.
The KFAC program is titled, "Connecting Kansas Kids, Crops, Critters, and Conservation."
Each presentation focuses on one or two of the three topics suggested in the title.
For example, Winter recently presented an assembly program at Centre Elementary School in Lost Springs. Her audience was comprised of third and fourth grade students from Centre and Hope.
Winter focused on the five main crops produced by Kansas farmers. Using a format similar to the TV show, "The Price is Right," she assisted students in learning the names, prices, and uses of the crops.
She also incorporated science into her presentation by illustrating the difference between volume and weight.
According to the KFAC website (www.ksagclassroom.org), the education assemblies are designed to show students that Kansas farmers are well educated in the areas of math and science and constantly are forced to use good decision-making skills.
"As a presenter, my goal is to bring the farm to the classroom, to encourage children to look at the items that make up their world, and discover where these items come from through application of the math and science that they study," Winter said.
"When I see the students straining to see around each other because they are intrigued by every project, and when I listen to teachers and parents tell how their children come home and look at food labels to discover what crops are in them, that is when KFAC has accomplished its goal. That is when children begin to take an active role in the world around them and recognize that agriculture is a necessity to life."
Many agriculture groups across the state have endorsed the program. Financial support is provided by Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission, and Kansas Soybean Commission.
Kansas Corn Commission provided a mini-van which uses an 85 percent Ethanol fuel to help take the program around the state.
Area ag-related businesses provide contributions to support local presentations.
KFAC has offices on the campus of Kansas State University in Manhattan.
