Ag Innovation Grants from the Kentucky FFA Foundation are intended to help agricultural education programs transform student instruction and outreach to the community. Proposed projects must demonstrate how student achievement and the local agriculture economy will be positively impacted. Ag programs may apply up for $10,000 in grant funding, and preference is given to applicants who have matching funding from other sources. Bourbon County was selected as a grant recipient during the most recent funding cycle, and have been putting their grant to great use!
Bourbon County’s Ag program applied for Ag Innovation Grant funding to turn an existing garage near the ag building complex into a student-operated farmers market. Any agricultural student will have the opportunity to sell products produced through their SAE. A supervised agricultural event, better known as a SAE, is any ag-related activity that happens outside of school that students can be involved with. It’s required for all FFA members, and it’s a great way for them to apply their knowledge and love for agriculture in the real world. The market will be open during school hours, and until 6:00 p.m. on Mondays. Once a month the marketplace will be open on a weekend, and students will provide community demonstrations related to their SAE projects.
The program plans to open its Ag Marketplace in mid-September, in conjunction with its annual mum sale, which already draws a lot of community support. The funding from the grant has been used for renovating the garage and adding a concrete floor. Funding from other sources was used to purchase coolers, a cash register, and other store fixtures.
In addition to giving students an outlet to market the products of their SAE’s, the teachers are hoping this Marketplace encourages more students to create entrepreneurship SAE projects.
Across the way, the ag program at Madisonville North Hopkins was also selected as a grant recipient. They are using the Ag Innovation Grant to rekindle a partnership with their local Habitat for Humanity, building storage sheds that go along with new Habitat for Humanity homes.
The grant funding allowed the agriculture program to purchase equipment necessary for three student groups to work simultaneously. This allows all students to be productive, instead of waiting for tools to be available. Each group is equipped with a framing and roofing nail gun, an air compressor, a ladder and scaffolding. Each student in the group has individual access to basic construction equipment like tool belts, tape measures, cat’s paws, chalk lines, framing/speed squares, hammers and more.
Habitat for Humanity Pennyrile Region partners with Madisonville North Hopkins by providing the building materials for all the sheds.
Thanks to the grant, more students are able to learn practical construction skills like framing, roofing, installing siding, and more. Because they’re working with a real-world community partner, students also have the opportunity to learn the importance of being conscientious with materials (measure twice, cut once), and how to meet deadlines, even when that means working outside in freezing or very hot weather. These skills are just as important in creating an employable student as technical skills.
