The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture is offering a total of $10,000 in grants to 10 middle school science classrooms and 10 after-school programs serving middle school students. Participating schools will receive $500 each to pilot a new Maker Kit challenge developed by the Foundation.
 
The STEM-focused Maker Kits encourage students to research scenarios related to food production and build their own models to solve a challenge. A detailed outline on how to conduct the challenge – written by teachers, aligned to national learning standards and reviewed by industry experts – will be provided to pilot schools. Supplies to complete the challenge will also be provided.
 
Pilot locations will be selected by July 15. Materials will be distributed the first week of August, and pilots must be completed by Sept. 15. The Foundation is accepting recommendations for middle school science teachers and after-school programs through July 8. Recommendations may be sent via email to Angela Mayfield, education director for the Foundation (educationdirector@fb.org).