AGFC Post Secondary Program Coordinator Lauren Cannon presented a summary of the agency’s summer internship programs to the Commission. Cannon, who organizes both the Internship Program and Conservation Scholarship Program, said the agency not only offers internships to college students who are receiving scholarships from the AGFC, but also works through the American Fisheries Society to host Hutton Scholar internships for high school students interested in fisheries careers. Thirty-two students participated in this summer’s internship program, which wraps up Friday.

Three individuals who participated in AGFC internships throughout the summer offered their insight on the internship program and spoke about how their first-hand experiences filled a gap in their conservation career journey, allowing them hands-on field experiences to back up the scientific knowledge they had acquired in school. [LINK TO PRESENTATION]

Of the many accomplishments AGFC Director Doug Schoenrock highlighted in his address to the Commission, he took a moment to focus on the AGFC’s new book, “River to Ridge: Arkansas’s Wildlife Management Areas.” The book was the culmination of five years of writing and collaboration with many individuals of the agency’s Wildlife Management, Fisheries, Education and Communications divisions and will be available for purchase beginning Aug. 1. Within its 454 pages, the book highlights nearly all of the AGFC’s wildlife management areas, with a bit of history and featured activities on each.

“A bucket list for all of us should be to put a date in this book of when we visited those WMAs,” Schoenrock said. “This is a keepsake.”

The Commission also authorized a budget increase of $500,000 to fund three management practices to improve wildlife habitat on private land.

Randy Brents, assistant chief of the AGFC Private Lands Habitat Division, said the budget increase is for a portion of a $2.5 million grant that the agency received from the USDA Forest Service’s Landowner Support Initiative, and that the remaining balance will be used to fuel additional conservation work in the next fiscal year.

“We actually received notice of the grant from the Inflation Reduction Act Landowner Support Initiative in September of last year, but the funds associated with the grant were delayed earlier this year,” Brents said. “Now that it has been processed, we are going to offer a portion of it this year, and deliver the remainder for next year to allow landowners the full year to complete the three practices eligible for the grants.”

According to Brents, landowners will be able to apply for assistance to conduct prescribed burns, timber stand improvements or invasive tree removal through the AGFC’s Private Lands Habitat Division.

“These types of grants typically require a 20 percent match,” Brents said. “We were able to show how many of these practices we currently employ through similar programs directly benefit underserved communities, which eliminated that matching requirement, saving the agency $625,000 in state match requirements.” [LINK TO PRESENTATION]

In other business, the Commission:

• Recognized 28 employees with a combined 320 years of service to the natural resources of The Natural State. [LINK TO PRESENTATION]

• Awarded retiring game warden Lt. Jim Pennington his service sidearm for more than 14 years of service to the AGFC. [LINK TO PRESENTATION]

• Approved a minute order to restructure the agency’s committee structure, reducing the number of standing committees from seven to four, to streamline commission meetings. [LINK TO PRESENTATION]

A video of today’s meeting is available on the AGFC’s YouTube Channel.

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CUTLINES:

GROUP SHOT
Thirteen Arkansas schools received the designation as a “School of Conservation Leadership” at Thursday’s Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Meeting. AGFC photo by Mike Wintroath.

POWERPOINT
Jarvis McCray, who recently graduated from Jacksonville High School, shared his internship experience with the Commission during the AGFC’s regularly scheduled July meeting. AGFC photo by Mike Wintroath.

BOOK
AGFC Director Doug Schoenrock announced the completion of the agency’s new book, River to Ridge, which will be on sale beginning Aug. 1, at agfc.com. AGFC photo by Mike Wintroath.

SMILE
Anne Marie Doramus presided over her first AGFC Commission Meeting as chairman. Doramus is the first female chairperson in the agency’s 110-year history. AGFC photo by Mike Wintroath. 

Thirty schools will be chosen from across the state to participate in the program during its first year. If successful, the partnering agencies will prepare for a statewide launch. School administrators and teachers interested in elevating outdoor education opportunities on their campuses can apply through the AGFC’s School of Conservation Leadership program and complete a letter of intent to AGFC Chief of Education Mary Beth Hatch at marybeth.hatch@agfc.ar.gov.

Natural resource agencies have worked for years to develop additional curricula and lesson plans for educators to bring the outdoors into the classroom, but Hatch says this new program takes an entirely fresh approach, working with teachers to develop pathways into regular coursework instead of proposing additional workloads for teachers and students.

“As a teacher with 13 years of experience in the classroom, I know how educators are constantly asked to add this ‘one more thing’ into their curriculum, and that those additions add up to an overwhelming and unachievable task,” Hatch said. “What we’ve designed is a playbook to truly incorporate outdoor education in your school, not just as one more thing a teacher has to add to their already taxed workload, but as something that integrates seamlessly into science, social studies, math, language arts, art, PE and a variety of elective courses. It’s not one more thing; it’s a new way to present what’s already being taught that’s been developed with the help of professionals in the outdoor recreation and conservation industry.”

Sanders said the program will help students develop skills and knowledge that can be applied to career tracks in outdoor recreation and conservation, which is one of the largest driving factors in Arkansas’s economy.

In 2022, the most recent year for which data is available, Arkansas welcomed more than 50 million visitors who spent nearly $10 billion, much of it on outdoor recreation opportunities.

 “A student’s education should not be fully reliant on technology and smart devices,” Sanders said. “This program emphasizes another reason why my husband, Bryan, and I started the Natural State Initiative: to get kids off screens and outside. Thank you to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission for investing in our kids’ future and promoting outdoor education.”

“Getting kids outside is one of the best things we can do for them, improving their education, health and quality of life,” said first gentleman and Natural State Initiative Advisory Council Chair Bryan Sanders. “This program will inspire our kids to develop a greater appreciation for The Natural State and help Arkansas build a pipeline of future workers and entrepreneurs to support our growing tourism industry and outdoor economy.”

Email marybeth.hatch@agfc.ar.gov for more information.

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CUTLINES

PLANTING GARDEN
Students at L.M. Goza planted a pollinator garden as part of their curriculum last year to get outdoors and complete their certification in the AGFC’s School of Conservation Leadership program. Photo courtesy Michael Ankton.

MONARCH PRESENTATION
In-class curriculum will be similar to this presentation at Sherwood Elementary, where educators presented the role pollinators like the monarch butterfly play in agriculture and conservation. Photo courtesy Melody Carson.

FISHING SAMPLE
Students at Lincoln High School were able to take part in a supervised electrofishing session to learn how fisheries biologists estimate characteristics of fish populations in different waterbodes. Photo courtesy Hailey Robinson.

WATER QUALITY
Lincoln High School students estimated water quality through investigations of macroinvertebrates found in the water during one class session last year. Photo courtesy Hailey Robinson.

TREE
Students in the new education initiative will be able to make a difference on their campuses and in their communities through conservation enhancements. Photo courtesy Michael Ankton.

AGFC Education Chief Mary Beth Hatch said. “Whether or not students have an existing love for outdoor recreation, we want to ensure that Arkansas students know that The Natural State has every resource available to offer them outdoor education opportunities, no matter what their ZIP code is. We want conservation science to be a part of their current classroom instruction, knowing that focusing on conservation of the habitats, species and resources in their own communities will change Arkansas’s education landscape.”

Hatch says the competition will be a launching pad for schools to engage with many other initiatives like STEM, school clubs and career and technical student organizations.

“Schools building these teams may be empowered to keep the program going beyond our yearly competition,” Hatch said. “They’ve entered these projects; they’ve entered these competitions, and this will be a foothold for what they’ll be working on for the rest of the school year in other science and STEM programs they already incorporate in their classrooms and schools.”

Giving the students an opportunity to learn about and engage with the state’s natural resources has been proven to benefit both physical and mental health. Incorporating outdoor education into lesson plans brings those tremendous health benefits into the school and opens up exciting new career path opportunities for students in the fields of conservation, agriculture and outdoor recreation.

Outdoor exposure won’t only be for students; Hatch envisions a portion of the event to be used as a gathering point for educators to learn how to incorporate outdoors-oriented content in their classrooms.

“We’ll have programming available for teachers and administrators during the competitions that will help them engage with many of our ready-made conservation-based curricula to use in their classrooms,” Hatch said. “They will be able to bring even more outdoor programming back to their schools and even gain some professional development credit hours while attending with their students.

“Giving our students the opportunity to engage with relatable conservation and experience outdoor recreation will truly create the next generation of outdoor recreation users, conservationists and natural resource professionals needed to keep The Natural State a national leader in conservation education,” Hatch said.

In support, former AGFC Commissioner Bobby Martin of Rogers, is leading an initiative to ensure schools have the necessary funding to introduce students to this program. Through the launching and initial seeding of the Bobby L. Martin Generation Conservation Endowment Fund, he and his family are working alongside the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation to raise funds for scholarship awards, teacher stipends, STEM equipment and travel grants. Martin, who fostered many advancements in AGFC outdoor education during his term, brings his well-regarded business career and reputation together with his passion and leadership in and for conservation education. We are excited to have this kind of support and partnerships to help ensure the long-term success of this program for Arkansas’s future generations, said Hatch.

The endowment, competition details and registration information will all be covered in a series of informational webinars hosted on the AGFC’s website in May and June. Visit www.agfc.com/conservationsummit to learn more and register for one of these informative sessions.

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CUTLINES:

MAN AT DEMONSTRATION TABLE
The AGFC’s new Generation Conservation initiative will culminate in a two-day summit for students and teachers in Hot Springs, Nov. 5-6. AGFC photo.

WOMAN AT DEMONSTRATION TABLE
Students attending the Generation Conservation Summit will be immersed in a variety of conservation and outdoor-recreation activities and competitions. AGFC photo. 

FIELD ARCHERY
Archery in the Schools is one of many AGFC programs to be highlighted at the Generation Conservation Summit in November. AGFC photo. 

As this school year comes to a close, the AGFC is looking for a new group of teachers to take the reins and offer additional perspectives on AGFC programs.

“We are being very intentional about the programs and the experiences that we offer to engage with educators as an agency,” AGFC Education Division Chief Mary Beth Hatch said. “Being a part of the Teacher Leader Council will help educators bring a deeper understanding of conservation back to their classrooms and will help us fine-tune our efforts to overcome common roadblocks the teachers face implementing the lessons we are teaching.”

Full-time educators from public, private, and charter schools working with students from early childhood through grade 12 are eligible to become a part of the council. Nominees must be able to attend virtual meetings as well as in-person meetings.

“We do a lot of hands-on workshops with the council, and collaboration is always best in person; having the drive and time to attend these meetings is essential to the success of the program,” Hatch said. “We want people who are willing to speak up and provide their insight and knowledge so all teachers can benefit from improved outreach efforts.”

Jennifer Jackson, a computer science teacher at Bentonville’s Ruth Barker Middle School, was part of last year’s council and has not only gained more enthusiasm to bring the lessons back to her class, she’s gained a group of colleagues to share ideas and communicate successes and solutions to any roadblocks she’s encountered.

“Being part of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Teacher Leader Council has enriched my teaching and inspired my students,” Jackson said. “It has provided me with professional growth, innovative teaching strategies, and a strong network of like-minded educators. This experience has fostered a passion for environmental stewardship, empowering the next generation to appreciate and protect Arkansas’s natural resources.”

Applications may be submitted through May 2 at www.agfc.com/teacherleadercouncil.

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CUTLINES:

STREAMSIDE TABLE
Participants in last year’s Teacher Leader Council received in-depth training on stream ecology to take back and replicate with their students. AGFC photo. 

GROUP DISCUSSION
A major benefit of the Teacher Leader Council is two-way communication to build support for programs and remove obstacles to incorporating their curricula. AGFC photo.

COOKING CLASS
Cleaning and cooking fish and wild game is a component of the outdoor education teachers in the Leadership Council immerse themselves in. AGFC photo.

“For more than a century, Entergy Arkansas has been committed to delivering safe, reliable, affordable and sustainable electric utility service to what now encompasses more than 730,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers across our 63-county service territory,” said Brand Hinkle, senior public affairs representative. “However, we see value extending beyond just powering homes and businesses – it extends to strengthening the communities we serve. One of our key priorities is investing in local solutions that attack the root causes of poverty, support education and workforce development, and protect and preserve the environment.”

According to Hinkle,  the grant award to AGFF is based on the organization’s alignment with the Entergy Charitable Foundation’s philanthropic focus on sustaining families with poverty solutions, education and workforce opportunities and environmental stewardship.

According to Hatch, the money will be used to help provide resources and materials to classrooms to complete educational programs such as field experiences and in-classroom exposure to outdoor skills and nature-based learning.

“This will ensure that these honored schools can carry out the mission of conservation education as an integrated part of their daily commitment to educating students in Arkansas,” Hatch said.

Entergy Charitable Foundation grants are provided solely from shareholder profit and not Entergy Arkansas customer dollars. For more information, visit www.entergy.com/csr/giving.

Visit www.agfc.com/education/school-of-conservation-leadership to learn more about earning the School of Conservation Leadership designation from the AGFC.

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CUTLINE:
Fishing derbies are one of many class experiences available for Arkansas schools that build support for a School of Conservation Leadership designation. AGFC photo by Mike Wintroath. 

Hatch also knows it takes more than one person’s insight to create the right kinds of opportunities for teachers to take advantage of. She was successful in her role of incorporating outdoor learning into the curriculum at North Little Rock’s Center of Innovation, but many schools throughout the state face different challenges to make the idea a success.

“We didn’t want to just create this so that teachers can have opportunities to share what they’re doing. We actually want to collaborate with them, and that’s what we’re doing very closely,” Hatch said. “We also want a team of leaders who other teachers can turn to for help if they run across a roadblock. That’s why it’s critical to develop this group of advisers.”

Nine teachers were chosen for the council’s inaugural year, all of whom have already shown tremendous skill at bringing the outdoors to their students through innovative thinking: Michael L. Ankton, L.M. Goza Middle School in Arkadelphia; Lindsay Beaton, DeWitt Elementary; Jennifer Jackson, Ruth Barker Middle School in Bentonville; Justin Keen, Fayetteville School District; Nick McDaniel, Subiaco Academy; Iesha McDonnell, Dr. Marian G. Lacey Academy in Little Rock; Freddy Penka from Pinkston Middle School in Mountain Home; Hailey Robinson, Lincoln High School; and Nathan Windel, Deer High School.

One of the early projects the council is helping tackle is how to bring aspects of hunting safety and hunter education into elementary-level classrooms. According to Hatch, Hunter Education is written at a fifth-grade reading level, so the AGFC and Leadership Council are partnering with the International Hunter Education Association to develop an Introduction to Hunter Education to offer younger students more exposure to hunting safety and conservation.

“This is something that doesn’t exist anywhere,” Hatch said. “And so we’re not only developing it for our teachers and students in Arkansas, but it will be open source and available to teachers everywhere.”

Another initiative already being planned by the council includes revamping the current Outdoor Adventures curriculum into a new Outdoor Leadership curriculum to make it more accessible to teachers throughout the state.

“We’re also initiating a Conservation Education Conclave by next fall for teachers to gather and collaborate about how to bring more conservation awareness and outdoors-based education into their classrooms,” Hatch said.

Visit https://www.agfc.com/education/teacher-leader-council/ to learn more about the Teacher Leader Council and how to reach out to the AGFC to incorporate outdoor education in your classroom.

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CUTLINES:

IN CAVE
AGFC staff pose with six members of the new Teacher Leader Council during a tour of Blanchard Springs last Wednesday. AGFC photo by Mike Wintroath.

DISCUSSION
Members of the Teacher Leader Council collaborate with AGFC staff to develop curriculum and methods to deliver conservation education in packed school schedules. AGFC photo by Mary Beth Hatch.

COOKING CLASS
Cooking wild game is one activity teachers are exploring to introduce conservation to students. AGFC photo by Mary Beth Hatch.