HomeSummer Agriculture Institute (SAI)
Who Should Attend:
K-12th grade teachers who have little or no background in agriculture.
What:
- Summer Agriculture Institute (SAI) is a three-credit, week-long, graduate level class for K-12 educators with little or no background in agriculture offered through Oregon State University.
- The goal of SAI is to help educators use agriculture as a context (or theme) for teaching academic standards (science, math, social studies, etc.).
- Current, factual, scientific information about agriculture is presented. Participants are provided with educational materials to incorporate agriculture into their curriculum.
- SAI shows how farmers and ranchers care for the land and water they use.
- Teachers learn the procedures for ensuring consumers a safe food source.
- They are exposed to the complexities of agricultural marketing and economics, both of which play an important role in agriculture today.
- The participants gain first-hand experience with agriculture through tours of processing plants, farms, nurseries and businesses.
*The highlight of the week is an overnight stay on a working farm or ranch where the teacher has an opportunity to meet and work with agriculturists.
*host family stay is a required part of the course. Host farm families graciously welcome teachers to their farm and show them their operation.
When:
Session #1: June 23-28, 2013, Corvallis
Session #2: July 14-19, 2013, Union/La Grande
Why:
- SAI increases participant's knowledge and understanding of important agricultural issues and applications.
- SAI provides information that will contribute to the goal of helping people make well-informed decisions about agriculture.
- SAI Materials are extremely effective.
90% of the participants were using SAI materials five years after attending SAI.
Teachers indicated a very high rating for usability of materials received at SAI.
Cost to Participants:
Each participant is responsible for a $600.00 registration fee which is to be submitted with the SAI application. In exchange, SAI participants receive tuition for (3) graduate level credits, hotel accommodations, meals, transportation, classroom-ready curriculum and resources.
SAI History:
- Since its inception in 1989, over 450 teachers have attended.
- In 1996, SAI was awarded the Oregon Department of Agriculture's Progress Award for Education.
- We depend on private, commodity, organizational and agri-business financial support to fund the remaining costs.
- To aid in that effort, SAI became a project of the Oregon Agricultural Education Foundation (OAEF) in 1991. The foundation is a recognized 501(c) (3) non-profit organization.
Applications available and questions answered by contacting:
Debbie Crocker, Session #1 Coordinator, Corvallis
Phone: 541-740-5073
Email: dcrocker@99webstreet.com
Jana Lee Dick, Session #2 Coordinator, La Grande/Union
Phone: 541-562-5129
Fax: 541-562-5348
Email: jana.dick@oregonstate.edu