Ag Education and Classroom Equipment Grants Awarded
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Nora Nolden, Communications Consultant
[email protected] or (651) 245-6804
Compeer Financial Awards 60 Schools Ag Education & Classroom Equipment Grants
Sun Prairie, Wis., (June 10, 2019) – Sixty high schools throughout Compeer Financial’s territory in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin will be receiving grants of up to $3,000 each to fund agriculture education programs and equipment in the classroom, directly impacting the lives of 8,004 students. The Compeer Financial Fund for Rural America, Compeer Financial’s corporate giving program, awarded a total of $152,452 through the Agriculture Education and Classroom Equipment Grant Program in 2019.
The grant program seeks to promote ag education and inspire youth to gain a deeper understanding of the ever-changing agriculture industry by funding programs and the modern classroom equipment.
“As the agriculture industry continues to evolve and change, ensuring students get the exposure to the breadth and depth of the industry is something challenging many American schools,” said Karen Schieler, a Senior Corporate Giving Specialist. “The goal of this program is to develop and enhance modern, comprehensive agriculture education in schools, teaching students about its importance and limitless potential.”
High school agriculture departments throughout Compeer Financial’s 144-county territory were eligible to apply for an Agriculture Education and Classroom Equipment Grant.
The organizations to receive grants in 2019 include:
Illinois
Amboy High School – to purchase concrete to lay a pad for the greenhouse
Astoria High School – to update the heating and ventilation system in the greenhouse
Earlville High School – to purchase a 2-door refrigerator for classroom use
Eastland FFA – to purchase laboratory equipment to be used for student laboratory testing and data collection
Elmwood High School – to purchase student equipment, including a Drone with a kit for virtual reality goggles
Farmington Central High School – to purchase lumber and hardware to build a raised garden bed
Freeport High School – to purchase a Tower Garden growing system and gardening equipment, as well as a cow anatomy 3D flip chart
Genoa-Kingston High School – to purchase microscopes and lab equipment for student use
Grundy Area Vocational Center – to purchase animal and plant science supplies, as well as a new greenhouse
Hinckley-Big Rock FFA Chapter – to purchase a new set of science desks
John Marshall High School – to purchase honeybees and beekeeping equipment
La Moille High School – to purchase a drone and Chromebook for student use
Lewistown High School – to purchase new welders for student use
Midwest Central High School – to purchase new laboratory equipment
Normal Community High School – to purchase ethanol sensors and equipment for electrical education
Oregon High School – to purchase Cornell Veterinary Science curriculum and complete laboratory equipment
Peotone High School – to purchase laboratory equipment as well as plant and animal science materials
Pleasant Hill CUSD 3 – to purchase forestry, agronomy and livestock industry tools
Prophetstown High School Ag Dept. – to install a new sink and cabinets as well as a mini greenhouse and related equipment
ROWVA Agriculture Department – to purchase a large ceiling fan for the Agriculture Center
West Carroll High School – to purchase Cornell Veterinary Science curriculum, a canine CPR model, autopsy investigation kit, canine heart and breath sound kit, and related supplies
Yorkville Christian High School – to purchase a classroom set of laptop devices and a larger classroom screen
Minnesota
Alden-Conger High School – to purchase a refrigerator-freezer and two microwaves for student educational use
Byron FFA – to cover expenses for students to attend the Southern Minnesota Agriculture Business tour
Fulda Public Schools – to purchase a plasma cutting system
Grand Meadow Public Schools – to purchase three Tower Garden systems and garden equipment
Kasson-Mantorville High School – to cover expenses for students to go on a summer agriculture tour
Kimball High School – to purchase a drone and drone supplies
Lake City Ag Ed Department – to purchase raised bed garden kits and a small storage shed
Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial – to purchase power and hand tools to be used in the new Ag Technology program
Lanesboro Schools – to purchase a greenhouse tower, food science class supplies, and laboratory equipment
LeRoy-Ostrander Agricultural Education Department – to purchase new computer stations for the Ag classroom as well as a new laptop and tower computer
Mankato East High School – to purchase a horizontal band saw
Maple River Agriculture Department – shop equipment including a drill press, stationary power sander, router table, planer, miter saw and band saw
New Ulm High School – to purchase canine IV training units
ROCORI High School – to purchase plants and planters, a cooler, wire dog crates, and PH sensor probes
Sibley East Schools – to purchase welders, torches, and welding supplies
Tri-City United High School – to purchase an aquaponics system, welding supplies, and shop tools
Truman Public Schools – to purchase a welder and welding supplies
Upsala Area Schools – to purchase a set of Chromebooks
Wisconsin
Bangor Area School District – to purchase a CNC plasma table, CNC water table, plasma cutter, laptop stand, and CNC control software
Baraboo High School – to purchase an aquaponics system
Belleville High School – to purchase IV injection training pads and a suture training kit
Chippewa Falls High School – to purchase a mini fish farm
Colfax FFA – to purchase a bovine breeder artificial insemination simulator
De Soto FFA – to purchase a hydroponic-aeroponic Tower Garden kit and supplies
Dodgeland High School – to purchase a hydroponic system
Durand-Arkansaw School District – to purchase models of a cow, ruminant, pig stomach, dicot flower and dicot stem
Edgerton High School – to purchase a mobile light cart, refractometer and an egg incubator
Fort Atkinson High School – to purchase a suture kit, injection pads, plant science kit, dicot stem and flower models, corn grain model, and 3D pork and beef meat cut posters
Janesville Craig High School – to purchase a commercial refrigerator
Luck Public Schools – to purchase large animal gates, pig feeders, and piglets
Montello High School – to purchase a new egg incubator
Pardeeville High School – to purchase a cow and pig model
Platteville High School – to purchase greenhouse accessories
Prairie Farm Agricultural Education – To purchase building materials for a greenhouse, a tiller, and gardening supplies
Rio FFA – To purchase building supplies, gardening supplies, and plants (including tomato, pepper, onion, jalapeño, potato, beans, and squash)
School District of Mondovi – to purchase a plasma torch and welder with a cart
Weston School District – to purchase an 18L autoclave and supplies, an African violet tissue culture kit, and veterinary supplies
Whitewater High School – to purchase beekeeping supplies and GPS units
About the Fund for Rural America
The Compeer Financial Fund for Rural America is the corporate giving program of Compeer Financial, structured to support Compeer Financial’s mission to enrich agriculture and rural America. Compeer Financial’s Board of Directors has dedicated one percent of annual net earnings to support the Fund’s focus areas of education, youth engagement, rural development, community enrichment, agricultural advocacy and development, and cooperative initiatives. The fund is managed by a Board of Trustees, made up of team members from Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois and members of the Compeer Financial Board of Directors. More information about opportunities available through the fund can be found at Compeer.com/giving-back.
About Compeer Financial
Compeer Financial is a member-owned Farm Credit cooperative serving and supporting agriculture and rural communities. The $21.0 billion organization provides loans, leases, risk management and other financial services throughout 144 counties in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Based in the Upper Midwest, Compeer Financial exists to champion the hopes and dreams of rural America, while providing personalized service and expertise to clients and the agriculture industry.
Compeer Financial is the third largest cooperative of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of lending institutions supporting agriculture and rural communities with reliable, consistent credit and financial services. Learn more about Compeer Financial.
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