Ag Secretary Reads to Students at Edgewood Elementary School; Promotes Ag Day and Read Across Maryland Campaign

Sec. Bartenfelder with Edgewood Elementary School Principal Sollers and 2nd Grade Classes

BALTIMORE CITY, MD – Agriculture Secretary Joe Bartenfelder today read to second grade students and led hands on activities at Edgewood Elementary School in Baltimore City as part of National Agriculture Day (March 15) and “Read Across Maryland” month. Governor Larry Hogan proclaimed Maryland Agriculture Week (March 13-19) to commemorate the national celebration and raise awareness about agriculture and its importance to our economy and consumers.  As a special treat, each second grade student received an apple donated by Steve Balderston of Colora Orchards.

“I’m happy to be here today with the students from Edgewood Elementary School and to share my passion for agriculture and the environment with them. Agriculture provides the food and nutrition to help students to succeed in school,” said Secretary Bartenfelder. “Working together with educators, our public libraries, and families across Maryland, we can prepare the future leaders of Maryland to live and learn with excitement. I encourage every family to read with their children for at least 30 minutes every day in March and to develop the habit of reading.”

“We are excited to have Secretary Bartenfelder here reading aloud with our students. Reading aloud to young children is widely recognized as the single most important activity leading to language development. It is not only one of the best activities to stimulate language and cognitive skills; it also builds motivation, curiosity and memory,” said Edgewood Elementary School Principal Kimberly Sollers. “When coupled with programs like the Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Program, we create a well-rounded learning opportunity. Teachers are building exciting learning activities around the fruit each week. By combining tasting with nutrition education we increase their consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables while helping students build healthy habits that last a lifetime. As a school community, we believe healthy bodies lead to healthy minds and today’s visit has helped us in making that belief a reality.”

The Hogan-Rutherford Administration is partnering with the Maryland State Education Association, the Maryland Library Association and the Maryland Association of School Librarians to encourage educators, parents and children to read 30 minutes a day for 30 days as part of a “Read 30 for 30” theme.

This year also marks the 6^th annual Ag Literacy Campaign, launched by the Maryland Agriculture Education Foundation, to visit elementary school classrooms across the state, read a selected book and talk to students about the importance of agriculture in their lives. The selected book for 2016 is the “The Cow in Patrick O’Shanahan’s Kitchen” by Diana Prichard, which he read to second grade students. The book is a fun story that teaches readers where their food comes from.

 “Read Across Maryland” was inspired by the National Education Association’s “Read Across America” program, which encourages children across the country to celebrate reading on March 2, the birthday of children’s author Dr. Seuss. Throughout March, Maryland’s public school students have been treated to readings by community leaders, elected officials, published authors and educators to promote daily reading.

For more about Ag Day, visit www.agday.org.

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Editor’s Note: Photos Available Upon Request.