National education program selects Illinois teacher to serve on leadership team

Scott Valenta from St. John the Baptist School in Winfield has been selected as part of the Nourish the Future Teacher Leader Community, a national teacher leadership group, sponsored by the National Corn Growers Association and the United Soybean Board.

Nourish the Future is a national education initiative developed by science teachers for science teachers. The goal is to inspire a network of educators to foster critical thinking, connect students to modern agriculture, and provide science-based resources that meet teachers' and students' needs in the classroom.

This program does the critical job of helping science teachers teach students how to solve pressing issues like sustainability, climate change, and feeding a growing global population through agriculture. Teachers are also armed with information about careers in these areas to share with their students.

Valenta was one of just 25 chosen science educators nationwide. Applicants were considered from across the country as part of a rigorous, competitive selection process. Valenta will receive specialized training in this elite group, the fourth of its kind from NTF.

"I'm all about hands-on and real-world connected experiences in science - that allows me to pull in students who otherwise are not interested in education," Valenta said. "This program will help my students see themselves as global scientists, tackling issues such as sustainability, global food supply, and modern agricultural techniques."

These instructors will participate in a series of regional and national training events including webinars and workshops. They will also collaborate to create new curriculum for classroom use. These materials will be available on the Nourish the Future website for teachers across the country to access.

Agriculture is a vital partner in engaging students with STEM concepts in ways that directly and indirectly impact their lives. Not only does teaching ag-based curriculum in the science classroom inspire students to solve real-world science issues, reaching students is critical to address the job gap in agriculture-related careers, many of which are going unfilled.

Nourish the Future is made possible by national corn and soybean growers' checkoff dollars through the National Corn Growers Association and the United Soybean Board, and in partnership with educationprojects.org, an education company dedicated to connecting industry to the classroom with exceptional learning experiences. Visit nourishthefuture.org to learn more about the program and how you can get involved.