Building the “Cadillac of professional development” in 120 days

Kansas Corn needed a turnkey solution to launch an education program in 90–120 days that would help students understand the science of modern agriculture.

Our relationship started in 2014 when the wife of a Kansas Corn Commission (KCC) board member, who is a teacher, attended a professional development workshop. She was inspired by the energy and engagement of other teachers in Ohio and believed passionately that the teachers in Kansas deserved this kind of curriculum and training and she began to advocate to the commission.

In early 2016 funds were appointed to the commission to launch an education campaign of significance. We met with the commission leadership for the first time in March at the 2016 Commodity Classic and discussed how to establish a program. We decided the most efficient way to meet their summer 2016 deadline was to leverage the curriculum created for the Ohio Corn & Wheat Association, adding some relevant lessons to this existing body of work.