National Ag Week Essay Contest
Posted: 2/13/2014
South Dakota Ag in the Classroom and South Dakota Farm Families are partnering together to host an essay contest for third and fourth grade students across South Dakota. The winning student will receive a classroom pizza party hosted by South Dakota Farm Families, a visit from a local agricultural producer, a certificate and the winning essay will be published on South Dakota Ag in the Classroom and South Dakota Farm Families websites and Facebook pages.
The topic for this year’s essay contest is “The Surprising Places I Found Agriculture”.
“By having to do some research before writing, youth are enlightened as to just how many times each day they experience some aspect of agriculture, even if they don’t live on a farm,” states Ann Price, Executive Director for South Dakota Ag in the Classroom.
“South Dakota dairy and hog farmers have been visiting classrooms as a part of South Dakota Farm Families “National Ag Week” activities for seven years now. The essay contest gives each school the opportunity to take part in the National Ag Week activities,” adds Rebecca Christman, Outreach Director for South Dakota Farm Families.
Third and fourth grade teachers are encouraged to utilize this contest as a writing exercise for their classrooms. “Entire classrooms can submit essays. The more students from a single classroom who enter, the greater the chances that room will be having pizza for lunch one day,” states Christman.
Price adds, “This contest was designed to meet the Common Core standards for writing so teachers can use this as a practice activity before the DSTEP tests. Teachers can refer to the entry blank on the website to see exactly what standards are being met.”
Any third or fourth grade student in South Dakota can enter. Entries are due March 28th, with the winner to be announced on the South Dakota Ag in the Classroom and South Dakota Farm Families Facebook pages April 15.
Entry forms can be found on the South Dakota Farm Families (www.agunited.org) and South Dakota Ag in the Classroom (www.agclassroom.org/sd) websites. Students should submit their 100-250 word essays by March 28th to Ag Week Essay Contest, c/o South Dakota Ag in the Classroom, PO Box 402, Miller, S.D., 57362 or e-mail them to sdagclassroom@yahoo.com with the subject line “Ag Week Essay Contest”. Contact Price at sdagclassroom@yahoo.com or 605-853-6040 with questions.
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