One group is helping address the Agricultural Education teacher shortage in Illinois with a grant program for beginning ag teachers.
Recently, Rachel Probst was selected as one of four new Agriculture Teachers in Illinois to receive recognition as a recipient of this teacher grant. Probst applied for the grant program and was selected based on excellent efforts in the classroom as well as strong short- and long- term personal and agriculture program goals.
Representatives from Coles Farm Bureau and the Facilitating Coordination in Agricultural Education (FCAE) were on hand to announce the award to Probst and her students.
Probst stated, "This is everything a teacher could ask for, knowing that there’s someone supporting me."
Illinois agricultural education teachers completing their first year in the classroom are eligible to apply for this grant. The amount of the grant payment will increase annually, up to $10,000 total, if they meet the re-application process confirming they remain active as an agricultural education teacher in the state of Illinois.The Illinois Farm Bureau, through its charitable arm, the IAA Foundation, created the Illinois Agricultural Education Teacher Grant Program. Illinois Farm Bureau immediately recognized the need and the value that supporting first year agriculture teachers had. All told, the program will fund 32 teachers over a 12-year timeframe.
More program information can be found online at www.iaafoundation.org under “Our Mission at Work”.
