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Biosecurity protocols take new meaning in COVID agriscience classrooms

While challenging, one first year agriscience teacher says introducing students to agriculture even during the coronavirus pandemic has been enjoyable.

“It is great to be with students again, we are able to do hands-on projects.”

Samantha Ludlam is the agriscience teacher and FFA advisor at Dundee Community Schools in southeast Michigan.  She tells Brownfield lessons about biosecurity have become more personal.

“We preach biosecurity a lot in terms of animal and plant health so I’ve just amped that up this year with students and they understand it thankfully,” she explains.

After shifting from virtual teaching to hybrid models, Ludlam has been in-person teaching for the past few weeks while FFA leadership competitions are taking place online.

“There are advantages to some of the major changes that we’ve made but I do remain optimistic that in the next year we should return to some sort of normalcy,” she says.

Students at Dundee are also spreading their FFA spirit in class and online this week for National FFA Week with dress up days and a breakfast to show their appreciation to school staff.