Ag program leaders grow connections with Sauk Valley schools to enrich curriculum

AMBOY – The Lee County Farm Bureau recently joined forces with Lee County Ag in the Classroom, Regional Office of Education 47 and Facilitating Coordination in Agriculture Education to highlight agriculture and educational opportunities during the 2025 Cultivating Connections in Agriculture workshop.

About 50 local school representatives attended the Cultivating Connections in Agriculture symposium, held Feb. 28 at Tetten’s Grain in Dixon, to learn more about the value of agriculture education and to hear strategies for creating comprehensive agriculture programs.

“Agriculture is Illinois' No. 1 industry, yet often those crucial programs are some of the first on the budget line to be cut from a public school district offering,” said Ashleigh Erbes, Lee County Farm Bureau manager. “Cultivating Connections is intended to bring in administrators and local school leaders who don’t necessarily have an ag background or full understanding of the ag industry and provide them with an enriching experience that demonstrates the value of an agriculture education and why it is so important and impactful to highlight agriculture as a career pathway.”

During the event, attendees connected with John Heiser, District 1 Facilitating Coordination in Agricultural Education program adviser; Katie Pratt, Lee County Agriculture in the Classroom coordinator; Stacey Dinges, pathways navigator at Regional Office of Education 47; Erbes; and Jon Mandrell, vice president of academics and student services at Sauk Valley Community College.

Sixteen local school districts promoting and showcasing their FFA chapter also attended the event. Additionally, state Rep. Brad Fritts, R-Dixon, and state Sen. Li Arellano, R-Dixon, shared legislation in support of agriculture education promotion.

“Providing support, at all levels, to an agriculture education program, is essential for student success and teacher retention,” Dinges said. “The Cultivating Connections in Agriculture event brings together all the local lifelines that are easily accessible for an ag program to thrive.”

“Cultivating Connections is an avenue to connect all the parts of the ag ed family – schools, industry, alumni and community supporters,” Pratt said. “My hope is that each person left with purposeful information that changes how they see and interact with their school’s ag ed program and FFA chapter.”