Ferguson College of Agriculture

Dr. Courtney Brown, Assistant Professor and State Extension Specialist of Agricultural Leadership at Oklahoma State University, is on a mission to introduce agriculture to communities and youth who have traditionally had limited exposure to agricultural education programs.

 

This spring, Dr. Brown partnered with Millwood Elementary Learning Academy (MELA), a predominantly Black public school in Oklahoma City, to bring agricultural educational booth participants and activities to the school’s career day event.

 

“When I was hired, I knew I wanted to target schools that were predominantly Black and didn’t have agricultural education programs, which are often in urban communities,” said Brown.

 

On the inaugural AgriKids Career Day event, over 20 agricultural companies and organizations set up  exhibits, interactive booths and displays for Millwood’s pre-K through 5^th grade students. From planting seeds to interacting with livestock, the approximately 500 students experienced agriculture hands-on through exhibits by groups like Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, OSU Extension, Oklahoma 4-H, and more.

 

“One of the most rewarding parts was seeing those kids have fun and engage with something new,” said Brown. “The students were screaming with excitement when they saw livestock for the first time.”

 

The event was a success, receiving positive feedback from MELA administrators, teachers, and students. Dr. Brown hopes to continue growing partnerships with Millwood and others to better explore bringing similar agricultural outreach programs to other urban schools.

 

“If we want more kids to consider agricultural careers, we have to go to them,” said Brown. “For me, it was personally rewarding to interact with those kids and give them an experience that could enhance their lives. That’s what extension is all about.”