For nearly a decade, Patricia Hebenstreit has been spreading the word about rural America. Her passion for agriculture education started in 2014 when she joined FFA as a seventh grader in Olivet, Michigan.
“Agricultural education is incredibly important,” said Patricia. “Without agriculture, we wouldn’t have a world to live in – from the food we eat, to the clothes we put on, and beyond.”
Fast forward to now, and she’s finishing up her time at Michigan State University and making a career out of just that -- agriculture education. It’s her way of giving back because of the mentors she had in the field growing up.
“Seeing the impact it had on me inspired me to motivate others so they can also experience a similar impact. The development and growth that people can have going through agricultural education is inspiring.”
But Patricia knows that agriculture exists far beyond the borders of the United States of America, and that’s why she was immediately interested in the FFA’s International Leadership Seminar for State Officers. Patricia served as an FFA State Officer last year.
On January 2, when most of us were getting back in the swing of things after New Year’s Day, Patricia was responding to an early alarm clock to jump on a plane to Miami, Florida. It was there she met the other students from across the country joining her on this trip, and after an orientation session, they were on their way to Costa Rica for about two weeks.
During that time, the group immersed themselves in the culture of Costa Rica and learned the ins and outs of the farming industry there.
“The whole experience - to be able to see pineapple farms, coffee, and chocolate and how it naturally comes to us in the United States - was really cool.”
The group visited farms and museums to gain knowledge that they could take back to others in the United States.
One of those stops was the CATIE Research Center, a place that strives to connect science, education, and research together in sustainable practices. They were able to check out the research center’s dairy operation and botanical gardens.
One interesting thing that sticks out to Patricia – learning where the red coloring comes from that’s used in things like Doritos and Cheetos.
“They had many different plants that could be grown throughout the country there so that it was in one place so people could learn about those plants without having to travel everywhere. I learned about achiote which they used to make red dyes, which was very interesting.”
The group of FFA students enjoy a crocodile river ride.
Because the trip came with a fee, Patricia was able to secure grant funding through GreenStone to make this trip a reality.
“Being able to have GreenStone as a generous provider for my travels for this trip allowed me to experience this different culture and society. It helped me expand my knowledge base and helped provide many learning opportunities, which can be passed onto many different people.”
And since she returned to the United States from her trip on January 14, she has been spreading the word about these findings. She even started a blog to outline her experiences abroad.
One of GreenStone's CoreFour Values is Getting Involved and we're proud to support the communities we serve through a variety of avenues, including programs like this and many worthwhile organizations. Learn more about our community outreach and engagement efforts on our Outreach webpage.
