2019 – A Year in Review
San Diego Ag in the Classroom had a busy year in 2019 and is excited to share its accomplishments with the community! We are so grateful to the organizations, businesses, individuals, and the membership of the Farm Bureau who help us make a difference for local schools and spread the word about the importance of agriculture and horticulture to our community.
School Garden Support Program
In January, we awarded $7963 to 8 local schools. From Fallbrook to San Ysidro, Encinitas to Borrego Springs, any school in the county is eligible to apply for up to $2K to create or sustain a garden or ag program. This program has distributed nearly $120,000 since its inception in 2004.
Teacher Resource Fair
SDAITC held its biennial Teacher Resource Fair, aka the “Food and Flower Happy Hour” in October. This event was in partnership with the Del Mar Fairgrounds, with support from SDGE. Our focus this year was on the environmental impacts of agriculture and ways that our farmers play a role in mitigating climate change. Approximately 130 educators and exhibitors attended the event and enjoyed locally sourced wines and appetizers. The event was hugely praised by attendees!
Educator Scholarships
We supported two educators with scholarships to attend the California Ag in the Classroom’s annual conference in Sonoma County this October.
Organizational Growth
We leapt into the modern age with the creation of our own website, with the help of TMD Creative. We also initiated a Facebook page, “San Diego Ag in the Classroom.” Be sure to Like and Follow us for updates about our programs, and helpful information and opportunities from our collaborators. We also revised our governmental bylaws, last renewed in 2001! SDAITC is excited to continue improving our sustainability, transparency, and impact.
What’s in store for 2020?
In 2020, our goal is to improve our communication and outreach so that we can share the importance of our farming community with more community leaders and schools. In turn, we hope this effort will help us create greater impact through our programs.