AES-56-41 Beekeeping Apprenticeship Project Application

Description of the Apprenticeship Project for Growing New Beekeepers in Louisiana

LDAF will sponsor five high school agriculture programs/educators with up to $10,000 in beehive/beekeeping and honey production resources to establish, with the help of students, an apiary (bee yard) of up to five beehives at their schools.

Over the course of two years, each of the participant teachers will teach a class of students (average class size = 20) annually through classroom instruction and hands-on experiences in the school bee yard about basic beekeeping, including what goes into starting a beekeeping and honey production enterprise and maintaining successful hives.

Each teacher will also select up to five outstanding youth from their classes of students with an interest in beekeeping for a year-long intense supervised agricultural experience (apprenticeship) in beekeeping. Each apprentice will be responsible for the success of one hive in the school bee yard for a 12-month period and learn the skills necessary to become honey production entreprenurs.

The applicant will be required to submit quarterly reports on the project activities at their school. The reports should include:

Summary of beekeeping education, training and activities conducted by the educator during the quarter.

Copies of classroom students' pre & post surveys/assessments to show the beekeeping technical knowledge they have gained following the completion of their educational unit on beekeeping will be required to support project's measurable success. Copies of the students' surveys will be submitted to LDAF in the following quarterly report.

Apprentice written quarterly reports to indicate their progress and receive advice on problems that may arise. Copies of these apprentice reports will be submitted to LDAF in the following quarterly report.

Require each apprentice to share their lessons learned and the knowledge gained during this project to others in a PowerPoint-based presentation or videotaped oral presentation in the spring semester (ideally in March or April). These student presentations will cover general beekeeping and what the trainee learned and experienced on a day-to-day basis as a result of participating in the Apprenticeship Project for Growing New Beekeepers and Honey Producers in Louisiana. The presentation can be made to a class of students unfamiliar to beekeeping, a club, a civic group, agricultural meetings, or a chapter of local beekeepers. These video-taped or PowerPoint presentations should be submitted with the educator's quarterly reports.

School Name*

School Address*

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState

Zip Code

School Phone Number*

School Principal Name*

Agricultural Educator Name*

Agricultural Educator Title*

Agricultural Educator Phone Number*

Agricultural Educator Email*

example@example.com

School's Agricultural Program Enrollment

Estimate # of high school students that will participate in the Beekeeping Apprenticeship Program:*

Estimate # of high school students that will become Beekeeping Apprentices (up to 5):*

NOTE:

Minimum of 20 students to receive beekeeping education
At least 5 students to commit to a 1-to-2 year apprenticeship experience

Please describe how you will implement this program at your school.

1. Describe how and who will be assembling/constructing the beehives and honey production equipment (school apiary): *

2. Describe how agriculture students will be educated (gain knowledge and skills) regarding beekeeping and honey production:*

3. Describe how the beehives and honey production equipment (school apiary) will be kept/operated: *

4. Describe how the beehives and production equipment (school apiary) will be maintained, especially in the summer:*

5. Describe how agriculture students will be supported by the school’s agriculture program in their apprenticeship: *

Please describe how you will implement this program at your school.

6. Describe how you will implement the project evaluation procedures into your agriculture program’s Beekeeping Apprentice program and report back to LDAF:*

7. I agree to provide instruction, skill-based training, and other school-based activities to create awareness of the industry to young potential farmers and educate and advise students and apprentices on beginning beekeeping farming and how to be successful. Additionally, the instruction and training should cover basic bee biology (life cycle of bees, anatomy, behavior of social insects, etc.), basic beekeeping skills and basic honey production skills (how to inspect your hive, proper use of a bee smoker, queen selection, hive splitting, etc.)*

YESNO

8. I agree to select up to five beekeeping apprentices from the class receiving instruction and who show an interest in beekeeping to receive a supervised (by teacher) agricultural beekeeping experience (SAE) in the school apiary.*

YESNO

9. I agree to submit quarterly project reports on project activities achieved at my school on the dates provided.*

YESNO

10. Attached is a signed letter of support from my school principal.

YESNO

Applicant's Printed Name*

Applicant's Signature*

Date of Submission

Date

Date of Submission

Date

Hour MinutesAM/PM Option