Harlan, Iowa – October 5, 2022 – Loess Hills Agriculture in the Classroom (LHAITC) was awarded $8,000 from the Monogram Loves Kids Foundation Grant to conduct programming with a focus on pork and pork products. 

Melanie Bruck, education program coordinator for LHAITC attended the awards ceremony held at the Monogram plant in Harlan Iowa. 

“It was really nice meeting the Monogram employees that select the award recipients,” said Bruck. “This award will greatly increase the number of students in Harlan who will receive agriculture literacy programs.” 

Funding from this grant will help Bruck offer hands-on experiences for teachers and students. Due to a first hand and working knowledge of farming in Iowa, Bruck is able to provide authentic classroom programs as well as visual aids to excite and encourage students and teachers alike. Teachers are able to utilize Bruck as a resource whether she teaches the entire lesson, works in cooperation with the teacher, or serves as a consultant. There is no limit on programs that are offered, and all lessons are provided at no charge to the schools.  

Classroom programming has increased dramatically over the past four years. Teachers are requesting programs monthly and this award will help to support training as well as agriculture supplies necessary to conduct agriculture literacy programs. This grant will support teachers within Shelby County and will highlight the IALF lesson plans available to teachers and the 400+ lesson plans available on the Curriculum Matrix. This project will use Agriculture to Connect Core Learning for Students.

The Monogram Foods Loves Kids Foundation (MFLKF) is the giving organization founded by Monogram Foods in 2010. The fund is managed by the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis and supports organizations in the ten communities in which Monogram Foods operates. The focus of the foundation is to empower Monogram Foods team members to positively impact the lives of children in need and their families. MFLKF has raised more than $15 million dollars in the past twelve years thanks to the generosity of its owners, team members, and suppliers.    

About Loess Hills Agriculture in the Classroom
Loess Hills Agriculture in the Classroom (LHAITC) is a regional effort of the Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation (IALF). The inception of LHAITC was led by Carroll Co. Farm Bureau, Crawford Co. Farm Bureau, Harrison Co. Farm Bureau, Shelby Co. Farm Bureau, and West Pottawattamie Co. Farm Bureau and serves school districts in those counties. The mission of Agriculture in the Classroom is to "increase agricultural literacy through PK-12 education." An agriculturally literate person is "one who understands and can communicate the source and value of agriculture as it affects quality of life." AITC programs seek to improve student achievement by applying authentic, agricultural-based content as the context to teach core curriculum concepts in science, social studies, language arts and nutrition. By embedding agriculture into curriculum, AITC cultivates an understanding and appreciation of the food and fiber system that we rely on every day. AITC is unique within the agricultural education community as the lead organization to serve the full spectrum of PK-12 formal education.

For more information visit IALF online at www.IowaAgLiteracy.org, on Facebook, and Twitter.

Participants at the award ceremony, Monogram Foods in Harlan, Iowa.