In the Fields
About
The In the Fields Partnership Program was launched in 2014 to introduce local high school students to the agricultural industry and the diversity of careers available in it. By partnering with the Department of Education’s (DOE) Career Technical Education office and small farms throughout the state, the Hawaiʻi Agricultural Foundation (HAF) works to foster and maintain a strong workforce needed to grow and sustain farming in Hawaiʻi.
Throughout the academic year, participating classrooms visit three different types of farms – traditional, organic, and emerging/high tech in ag – and have the opportunity to garner real-life, hands-on experiences through workplace experiences and mentorships. Business owners are also able to interact with educators to ensure that what students are learning aligns with the skills needed by industry.
In his experience with the In the Fields program, Leo Tomita, CTE at Baldwin High School shared, “The students see the value in these types of field experiences and, at the very least, gain a better understanding of how these businesses can have an impact on their future.”
Program Objective
The In the Fields Partnership Program objectives are to:
- Create greater student awareness and interest in agriculture and improve the perception of Hawaiʻi’s third largest industry and its impact on the island economy;
- Develop more effective partnerships between industry and academia to recruit more students and better prepare them with the skills they need for the job;
- Better align the needs of education and agriculture and create programs that help facilitate the transition for students from school to work.
HAF’s In the Fields Partnership Program aims to bridge the gap between what it is really like at work in the industry and what is being taught in the classroom. The current target population served are public middle and high school students.
According to the DOE’s Agricultural Career Technical Education Resource Teacher, Alison Inouye, there is a need to ensure that students understand what it’s really like to work in an agricultural related field. She shared that students cultivating a school garden is a very different experience from the day-to-day life of working on the farm and in the fields.
Bring Ag Education to Your Classroom
If you’re interested in bringing this program to your classroom at no charge to you or your school, fill out the form below:
Support HAF
Contributions go directly to supporting local farmers, ag education and outreach programs.