COLUMBIA CO., N.Y. — Students from kindergarten to third grade participated in this year’s Agriculture Literacy Week program, which took place March 20-24. Cornell Cooperative Extension employees, volunteers, 4-H leaders, and 4-H youth flooded the schools of Columbia and Greene Counties to read this year’s book, The Grapes Grow Sweet by Lynne Tuft and Tessa Decarlo. The story and lesson created this year were all about grapes, a blossoming industry for the Hudson Valley Region.
In New York State alone, over 1,200 community members and volunteers entered classrooms to read “The Grapes Grow Sweet” to students in kindergarten through fourth grade. This fun and exciting story shares the journey of Julian’s first family grape harvest. Now that Julian is old enough to help on his family’s vineyard the story highlights life and growing up on a family vineyard in wine country. Readers follow the development of the grape from bloom to harvest, and see up close the animal and plant life of the vineyard. Our volunteers not only read the book with the classrooms but facilitated outstanding lessons that ranged from grape juice tastings, the science of converting teaspoons of sugar into grams and even equipment identification. Every student that participated in this year’s program received a grape fun fact sheet to take home so learning and sharing about grapes didn’t just stop at the end of the lesson.
This program, facilitated by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia and Greene Counties’ Margaret Smith, 4-H Animal Science and STEM Educator, reached approximately 960 youth in 40 classrooms and at four public events throughout the two counties. This year’s books were generously donated by Columbia County Farm Bureau and the Greene County Farm Bureau. Without the support of our donors and the willingness of our volunteers, this program wouldn’t be possible, so THANK YOU to all who made this year’s Agriculture Literacy Week so special for the youth of Columbia and Greene Counties. For more information or if you have questions, please contact Margaret M. Smith at 828-3346 x201 or mms426@cornell.edu.
Cornell Cooperative Extension is an employer and educator recognized for valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities and provides equal program and employment opportunities. The programs provided by this organization are partially funded by monies received from the Counties of Columbia and Greene.
4-H is New York’s only youth development program directly connected to the technological advances and the latest research at Cornell University. 4-H participants learn leadership, citizenship and life skills through hands-on projects in three primary program areas: science and technology; healthy living; and citizenship. To find out more about 4-H and youth programs in Columbia and Greene Counties, contact us at 518-828-3346 orColumbiagreene@cornell.edu or visit our website, www.ccecolumbiagreene.org . You can also “Like” us on Facebook…Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia and Greene Counties.
—Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia and Greene Counties
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