12/03/02
The Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation Inc. (MAEF) held its 14th annual banquet and awards ceremony Nov. 7 in Glen Burnie with 250 friends of agricultural education in attendance. Bill Satterfield of the Delmarva Poultry Industry Inc. (DPI) served as the master of ceremonies.
Mary Murray of North Harford and Riverside Elementary Schools in Harford County shared her experience at the Ag in the Classroom Summer Teacher Workshop and talked about how she conducted her own workshop for teachers in her local schools. Patty Spears, an Eldersburg Elementary School teacher in Carroll County, talked about her experience with the Mobile Agri-Science Lab that recently visited her school. More than 66,000 individuals are reached annually through MAEF’s educational programs.
Three teachers were presented with grants to conduct a lesson or unit each had developed incorporating agricultural concepts. Receiving Mini-Grant Awards were Lori Powell of Damascus High School in Montgomery County for “Hand-in-Hand Gardening Adventures,” Lavonne Radonovich of Clopper Mill Elementary, also in Montgomery County, for “Gardening Adventures: Discovering Earth’s Secrets” and Mary Murray of North Harford and Riverside Elementary Schools in Harford County for “Holy Cow.”
Excellence in Teaching about Agriculture Awards were presented to four teachers: Melissa Moore of Ballenger Creek Elementary; Mary Murray of North Harford Elementary; Karen Dausch, North Bend Elementary; and Lori Powell of Damascus High School.
Leading donors, recognized for donating $1,000 to $2,499 to the foundation in 2002, included Catoctin Area FFA Alumni, Cecilton Lions Charities, Central Maryland Research & Education Center, Michael Cohey, Frederick Pomona Grange, Frederick County Young Farmers, Maryland Soybean Board, Mercantile Bank & Trust, Les Richardson and Southern States Cooperative. Donors who gave $2,500 to $4,999 to the foundation, included Colonial Agricultural Education Foundation, Maryland Farm Bureau, Montgomery County Agriculture Center and Stockton Dairy Farm. Founder donors gave $5,000 to $9,999 and included Frederick County Farm Bureau Women and the Maryland Department of Agriculture.
The last group recognized each contributed $ 10,000 or more — Harford County Government, Maryland Agricultural Fair Board, Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board, Maryland State Department of Education, Nationwide Insurance Foundation and the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland.
The program was highlighted with an auction led by auctioneer Andy Cashman of the Maryland State Fair. Nearly $6,000 was raised for the foundation with low- numbered ag tags for farm trucks being a popular item. John Sullivan of the Harford County Economic Development Office presented a check for $3,976, donated from the proceeds of the first Maryland BBQ Cook-Off held in Bel Air in August.
Founded in 1989, MAEF is a non-profit organization which promotes and enhances the understanding and appreciation of agriculture in the daily lives of Marylanders.
The foundation will be expanding its educational programs into the middle and high schools in 2003 and is currently developing a video on Maryland agriculture along with a mobile showcase to educate the general public about agriculture at fairs, festivals and other public venues. The video and mobile showcase will be available in the summer of2003.
For additional information about the Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation, contact Marty Stephens, executive director, at (410) 939-9030 or visit on-line at www. mdagintheelassroom.com.