Established in 2022, the Irvine School Agriculture Discovery Centre (ADC) is a micro-farm located right on the playground of Irvine School. It is home to a variety of production livestock, a large garden, a greenhouse, an innovative vermicomposting system as well as small crop plots.
The ADC serves to cultivate agriculture connections that will prepare our students to develop thriving societies, flourishing economies, and healthy environments. The program’s foundation is rooted in applying sustainable innovation to a system that is student-led.
According to a recent report released by RBC, 40% of farm operators will retire by 2033. While at the same time, the agriculture industry will be called upon to grow more food using less land and fewer resources. To reach our potential, as a global leader in the production of low-carbon, sustainable food, Canada must make intentional, innovative, and strategic investments aimed at developing the agriculture leaders of tomorrow, today.
If we receive funding through the Growing Home with BASF project, the ADC will develop an Ag-Pro CAREERS options course for junior high school students to expand our Careers and Technology Foundations (CTF) options. Our students will explore interests, passions and skills while making personal connections to the amazing career possibilities in agriculture. We will establish and build relationships with industry professionals in the areas of agronomy, animal health, crop production and protection, livestock production, agriculture science, research, technology, and specialty crops (greenhouse).
Our Ag-Pro CAREERS CTF option course will be offered to our students during the 2023-2024 school year in 6-week intervals. Throughout the course, students will research careers, travel to partner organizations, and make connections to form an authentic understanding of the fantastic career choices available in agriculture.
Funds will be used to develop course content, purchase materials, pay for busing and to provide an honorarium for our partner organizations. Once developed, we will have a template that can be shared with other schools throughout our school division and beyond. This program will kindle hearts, ignite minds and forge futures while our students make authentic connections to the agriculture industry.
We must prepare our students to pursue careers that don’t yet exist, using technology that hasn’t yet been invented, to solve problems we can’t even imagine. (The Element Ken Robinson)