August 7, 2024 (Winnipeg, MB) – Agriculture in the Classroom Canada (AITC-C) and its 10 member organizations create more than two million student experiences each year through the national collective’s programs and resources. With a goal to reach more students across the country, AITC-C is evolving its governance structure to strengthen its board for the future.
“Collectively, our board has decided to create a new governance structure for AITC-C to better serve our organization,” says Rebecca Sooksom, board chair of AITC-C. “We will be seeking board members who bring diverse experience and different skills to the table, which may include individuals from the agriculture and education sectors and those with specific areas of expertise, such as accounting or human resources, to ensure a well-rounded board of directors.”
AITC-C's new board will be independent and skills-based with a chair and eight directors. Individuals will be selected and invited to join the new AITC-C board of directors this fall, with a goal to have a new board of directors by the end of 2024.
AITC-C’s current board is comprised of one representative from each its member organizations: BC Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation, Ag for Life in Alberta, Agriculture in the Classroom Saskatchewan, Agriculture in the Classroom Manitoba, Ontario’s AgScape, École-O-Champ in Quebec, Agriculture in the Classroom PEI, Agriculture in the Classroom New Brunswick, Nova Scotia’s Agriculture in the Classroom program and Agriculture in the Classroom NL.
Current board members will continue to serve until a new board is in place. A steering committee composed of the provincial Executive Directors will also be formed to ensure seamless coordination amongst the AITC Collective. AITC-C has appointed interim executive director, Luree Williamson, an AITC-C board member and executive director of Alberta’s Ag for Life, to manage the organization through this transition.
“As we move forward, I want to recognize the commitment of each of our current board members,” says Sooksom. “Their passion and dedication to agriculture education and increasing ag literacy has been instrumental in growing our AITC collective and I want to thank each one of them for doing their part to fulfill our mission.”
With a vision to create meaningful connections to agriculture and food, AITC-C is the national advocate for agriculture education, representing a collective of 10 provincial members who deliver agriculture education to students and educators across Canada. AITC-C is the umbrella organization connecting the national network to facilitate sharing and collaboration and deliver accurate, balanced, and current resources. Visit www.aitc-canada.ca to learn more.
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For more information, contact:
Tracey Shelton
tshelton@aitc-canada.ca
204-995-2102