In support of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s (KDA) All in for Agriculture Education Week programs, students from the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment created several lessons and activities to teach elementary students about agriculture. After a successful program run in March 2025, KDA planned a second week of activities and promotion, which takes place from Sept. 15-19.  

The initiative, designed to grow agricultural literacy and connect classroom learning to real-world skills, invited students in the Agricultural Education and Advocacy degree program in the Department of Community and Leadership Development (CLD) to develop dynamic and age-appropriate explorations of food systems, livestock and plant science.  

“Our students considered different learning styles, what they knew about the learners, how long they can stay entertained and what activities would be good for those age groups,” said Rebekah Epps, associate professor for agricultural education and CLD director of graduate studies.  

Epps said many of her students wanted to teach their lessons in an elementary classroom, such as “Let’s Learn About Kentucky Agriculture” and “Let’s Learn About Horses,” among other farm-related subjects.  

“It was a learning curve,” Epps said. “Someone came back and said the activity didn’t work. And I said, ‘Yes! That’s what I like to hear from someone becoming a teacher.’ That’s how we write curriculum. If it doesn’t work, tweak it and make it better.” 

For senior Kennedy Spriggs, the experience was transformative. 

“This is really a full circle moment for me,” Spriggs said. “Planning a lesson and executing it for All in for Agriculture Education Week has been such a great opportunity to utilize my strengths, develop vital skills and gain experience before stepping into an agriculture classroom of my own.” 

Epps believes the lesson creation and refining process not only sharpened teaching skills but also underscored the importance of agricultural education in shaping informed consumers.  

“I taught high school in metro Atlanta, and I knew my kids were two or three generations removed from the farm,” Epps said. “That was perfectly fine, but they were all going to be consumers, and I wanted them to be educated consumers.” 

The experiential learning also highlighted the value of working with state-wide government organizations like the KDA, especially for students pursuing advocacy roles.  

“We try to push our students to take their passion and turn it into influence,” said Sarah Sprayberry, assistant professor and director of undergraduate studies in agricultural education. “When you make those connections, it allows you to bridge gaps within the community. A lot of people don’t actually have true agricultural literacy, so when we make those bonds, it allows our students to understand the impact of those connections and teach people about agriculture.” 

In late 2024, the agriculture education degree program added “advocacy” to its name to better reflect the needs of agriculture employers. 

“We truly are trying to build a new pathway,” Sprayberry said. “We have students going into ag law, sales and non-profits. We’re offering classes on social media campaigns and policy advocacy. For students who love education but don’t want to be traditional teachers, we are their home.”   

The ripple effect of the first All in for Agriculture Education Week extended far beyond individual classrooms. In a partnership among Commissioner of Agriculture Jonathan Shell, Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman and Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher, the initiative aimed to reach every public elementary school in Kentucky through lessons, field trips, contests and community engagement activities.  

"As the spring All in for Ag Education Week unfolded, it became clear the support from the agriculture industry, educators from across the state at every level and the community itself was unprecedented,” said Bethany Mattingly, director of KDA Agriculture Education and Outreach. “The UK Agriculture Education and Advocacy program helped lead the way in what agriculture education can look like at the elementary school level." 

Educators and agriculture community stakeholders are once again focusing on the impact of farming this week and throughout the fall.  

“Our college is proud to be a part of Commissioner Shell’s vision for strengthening agricultural education across our state,” said Laura Stephenson, vice president for land-grant engagement and dean of Martin-Gatton CAFE. “When children understand where their food comes from and the role agriculture plays in their communities, we are preparing not only future farmers, but informed citizens and leaders. This partnership reflects the heart of our land-grant commitment to Kentucky.” 

In addition to the student-created lessons, UK Martin-Gatton CAFE is donating a Kentucky agriculture poster to be part of “harvest crates” full of teaching resources, which will be distributed to every public elementary school in Kentucky.  

Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service agents will also take part in local educational and advocacy events over the next several weeks.  

To learn more about the agricultural education and advocacy program, visit https://cld.ca.uky.edu/ukaged. To learn more about the All in for Agriculture Education Week, visit https://www.kyagr.com/marketing/Ag-Education-Week.html.  

# # # 

Writer: Jennifer Elwell, jennifer.elwell@uky.edu  

The Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment is an Equal Opportunity Organization with respect to education and employment and authorization to provide research, education information and other services to individuals and institutions that provide equal opportunities for qualified persons in all aspects of institutional operations and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, uniformed service, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information or social or economic status.