South Central Ag Teacher One of Four to Receive Grant

South Central High School teacher Timothy Bolin is one of four Agriculture teachers to receive an agriculture education teacher grant from the Illinois Agriculture Association Foundation.

Bolin is one of four beginning Ag teachers who recently received the grants with a goal to address the state's shortage of ag teachers. This marks the second year grants were awarded to teachers who completed their first year of teaching. The other recipients teach in Grayville, Waterloo and St. Anne.

The idea to support new ag teachers started with the Illinois Farm Bureau Local and State Government Strength with Advisory Team. The Illinois Farm Bureau Board approved a SWAT recommendation for a grant program.

Eligible high school Ag teachers must have completed their first year of teaching. Each grant recipient was selected based on his or her excellent classroom efforts and strong short- and long-term personal and program goals. The program hopes to fund 32 teachers over 12 years.

Illinois and other states are coping with an Ag teacher shortage. At the same time, Illinois ag ed is going through a growth period with 12 new or reopened high school Ag programs this fall. Plus, several community colleges are opening new Ag programs or revamping existing ones.