FFA promotes agriculture literacy in school system

Agriculture education plays a vital role in the well-being and knowledge of school-aged children. From learning where their food comes from to exploring future career paths, the impact and importance of agriculture education is strong.

The Passing Literacy Onward program is a Tennessee agricultural mission focused on promoting agriculture literacy in schools. The 2005 to 2006 Tennessee FFA State Officer Team founded this program based on these simple words, “Without labor, neither knowledge nor wisdom can accomplish much.” These words are a part of the Official Opening Ceremonies found within the National FFA Manual.

To this National Officer team, these words showed the importance of developing young minds to have the ability to labor for the foundation of literacy. The foundational base of knowledge is the first step to successful education. The White County FFA Chapter is a proud supporter of this mission.

Every year, members of the chapter team up and pick an elementary school that they would like to visit. After the members select a school, they find agriculture-based books at the appropriate grade level. These students then visit local elementary schools to read books and plant the seed of agriculture knowledge. After the reading is finished, members talk about what the National FFA Organization is and how they are involved within the industry.

Although many of the young students may not know much about agriculture, this simple visit could lead to the start of a lifelong journey.