Growing young artists
California agriculture sows story seeds in students’ imaginations
Story by Matt Craggs
Although farmers and ranchers live and work in all reg ions of Ca l i forni a , the s t ate’s popu l at ion i s overwhelmingly urban—and so are schools. The California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom helps bring agricultural knowledge into the classroom, and its annual “Imagine this…” Story Writing Contest has once again delivered a fresh, new crop of young writers and illustrators. For Judy Culbertson, the foundation executive director, the contest for grades three through eight is one of its premier programs. In addition to helping children understand where food and fiber come from, she pointed out , it ’s a plat form for thei r voice s and passions. “The contest was really developed to create a positive learning experience that promotes reading, writing and the arts, and it does it through a creative process,” Culbertson said. This research-based process fueled the stories from this year’s six statewide winners. In addition to being honored in virtual awards ceremonies and receiving prizes for themselves and their classes, the winners have their stories illustrated by high school art students for publication in an anthology. In “Imagine this… Stories Inspired by Agriculture 2021” (see Book Reviews on Page 37), the winning
students and teachers include f irst-time entrants, previous regional winners and siblings. A mix of fiction and nonfiction, the entertaining and fact-filled topics vary from a caulif lower’s self-worth to the cyclical life story of twin avocados. While ref lecting California’s diverse agricultural offerings, many stories also examine personal or social issues—such as prejudice, international economics, nutrition, and family recipes and businesses. Seventh-grader Al lee DePa lma’s winning story originated with her passion for makeup, which bloomed into a journey through historical and modern natural cosmetic ingredients. In her research, she unearthed information on plant-based makeup. “I was not only intrigued to learn about it for my benefit, but I was really excited to write a story about it,” she said. For Allee, and every student who participated, the “Imagine this…” StoryWriting Contest is an opportunity to learn about agriculture, Culbertson said, and also a chance for the students to direct the conversation about their futures as they become the next generation of California writers—or farmers.
Matt Craggs cbmagazine@californiabountiful.com
28
September/October 2021
Powered by FlippingBook