SUMMIT STATION - A group of families determined to bolster agriculture education at the Blue Mountain School District is raising funds by hosting an event at the Schuylkill County Fairgrounds on June 30.
Called "AgSTEM," the community group, which has 40 active members, will host "AgSTOCK." It will include vendors, displays from organizations including a 4-H Club and Tri-Valley FFA, a farmers market and events, including a chili competition and an essay and public speaking contest for students from elementary school through college, according to Alicia Keller, Orwigsburg, AgSTEM community liaison.
There will also be a pig roast and tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for children, Keller said.
"Agriculture, Schuykill County's largest industry, is a vibrant part of our heritage, our industrial landscape and our future. AgSTOCK allows us to highlight and celebrate the industry that employs the most people in our county and has continued to grow even as the economy has suffered in recent years," Keller said.
The event, which will begin at 9 a.m. June 30, is being co-hosted by the Schuylkill County Fair Association and Jefferson Grange 1384, Auburn.
AgSTEM, which stands for Agriculture Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics, was formed in 2010 in an effort to raise funds to supplement those classes at Blue Mountain, Keller said.
It's co-chaired by Robert Urzillo, Ph.D., Blue Mountain superintendent, and Ray Gaston, a retired teacher.
Blue Mountain had removed agricultural education from its high school curriculum in 1999. Keller, a parent of four students in the district - Flynn, 15, Bennett, 13, Grayden, 11, and Casmira, 8 - said because of that she had supplemented the education of her three sons by having them join 4-H.
In 2010, parents including Keller approached the district with hope of doing more to bring more of it back to the classroom.
"The first thing we were told when we got the group together was that there is no money for this, times are hard and the school district can't fund this. And we decided there are some things the community must step up to do and this is one of them," Keller said.
In the 2011-12 school year, the group organized a seed workshop for second graders with the Master Gardeners of Schuylkill County, held in January.
Other projects AgSTEM funded at the district this year included a 4-H approved program for fifth grade students on the science of rocketry, she said.