The High School N Outreach Program started with an idea shared by three members of the Edgar County Community Foundation: Brad Tucker, Warren Sperry, and Harry Frost. Their drive and financial support to have students learn about the importance of nitrogen stewardship at the farm gate inspired me to create the current program that has expanded beyond Paris, IL in 2017 to Shiloh, Unity, Fisher, and Hoopeston High Schools in 2018 and beyond in 2019.
Our outreach program is focused on teaching students about nitrogen use in production agriculture and why good stewardship provides both economic and environmental benefits. Recorded lectures, discussion questions and quizzes will be provided to participating local ag teachers to educate and inspire students to learn. The in-field part of the program provides a hands-on opportunity for students to get into the field and collect samples. The students will learn how test results can provide a way to track forms of nitrogen the plant can use from harvest the previous year to the end of the school term (or into the summer months if interested) and how the information can help farmers make management decisions. Interested students will be given an opportunity to demonstrate a mastery of the Nitrogen Cycle by satisfying specific criteria to successfully become a "Nitrogen Ninja".
The Nutrient Stewardship Outreach Project is about bringing production agriculture back into the everyday conversation as a contribution to society. It is to create a focus on utilization rather than reduction. “If we use it, we won’t lose it.” It is about inspiring young adults to become future participants or leaders within production agriculture, those that will continue to focus on M.O.M., Minimize environmental impact by Optimizing harvest yield, and Maximizing input utilization. It is truly all about M.O.M.
Our outreach program is focused on teaching students about nitrogen use in production agriculture and why good stewardship provides both economic and environmental benefits. Recorded lectures, discussion questions and quizzes will be provided to participating local ag teachers to educate and inspire students to learn. The in-field part of the program provides a hands-on opportunity for students to get into the field and collect samples. The students will learn how test results can provide a way to track forms of nitrogen the plant can use from harvest the previous year to the end of the school term (or into the summer months if interested) and how the information can help farmers make management decisions. Interested students will be given an opportunity to demonstrate a mastery of the Nitrogen Cycle by satisfying specific criteria to successfully become a "Nitrogen Ninja".
The Nutrient Stewardship Outreach Project is about bringing production agriculture back into the everyday conversation as a contribution to society. It is to create a focus on utilization rather than reduction. “If we use it, we won’t lose it.” It is about inspiring young adults to become future participants or leaders within production agriculture, those that will continue to focus on M.O.M., Minimize environmental impact by Optimizing harvest yield, and Maximizing input utilization. It is truly all about M.O.M.
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