Youth Outreach

At the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS), we’re passionate about connecting young people with hands-on experiences that spark curiosity and inspire future careers in agriculture, food and natural resources. Through events, classroom visits, camps, and partnerships with organizations like 4-H, the Bell Museum, and the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, CFANS offers pathways for students—especially those in grades 8 through 12—to explore “what’s next” in their educational journey.

Whether you’re a student ready to discover your passions or an educator seeking engaging opportunities for your classroom, you’ll find a wide range of programs and resources here to help open doors to CFANS and beyond.

Students: Come explore, try something new and see how your interests can grow into a future career >
Educators: Find programs and resources that bring science, agriculture and the environment to life for your students.
Alumni: You can get involved, too! Sign up to help out at events using the Alumni Volunteer form. You may also present a Norman Borlaug Science Achievement Award to a high school junior, learn more here. 

Opportunities for students

Programs with CFANS and the University of Minnesota

• Bell Museum hosts Teen Science Cafes and camps across the state
• Extension works with over 40,000 young people a year through the 4-H program! Check out their events and programs
• Forestry Adventure Days at the Cloquet Forestry Center
• Gopher Dairy Camp to learn to work with dairy cows
• Minnesota Landscape Arboretum for numerous events, camps, and the Urban Garden Program
• Minnesota Youth Institute High school students explore a food sustainability topic of their choice, get an on-campus experience with like-minded peers, and earn a scholarship to CFANS!
• Vet Camp provides one day sessions throughout the year to learn about veterinary medicine

More from local partners

• Appetite for Change has a Youth Training & Opportunities Program as well as Community Cooks workshops
• Environmental Stewardship Institute by the Friends of the Mississippi River offers a paid summer learning experience as well as a year-long Youth Council
• Growing North Minneapolis for gardening and food programs
• Minnesota Farmers Union provides camps across the state and for multiple age levels
• Seed Your Future has horticulture-focused internships, scholarships, and resources
• Spark-Y offers internships, apprenticeships, and workforce readiness training in sustainability and entrepreneurship
• Tree Trust Youth Employment to get paid while learning outdoors
• Urban Roots Internships pay participants to work in gardens, kitchens, and local parks--they also offer volunteering opportunities

Get experience by joining student organizations

• 4-H to attend events or camps across the state or carry out a project at home
• Envirothon to participate in an outdoor environmental learning competition
• FFA to gain content knowledge, practical skills, and leadership opportunities in food, agricultural, and natural resource sciences

Get ready for the future by accessing UMN resources

• Future CFANS Students Find information on majors, student organizations, and the many reasons to make CFANS your next home!
• UMN College Readiness Consortium has information for students and parents to help prepare for educational opportunities after high school
• UMN Admissions is where you can sign up for a campus tour, learn more about UMN broadly, and apply!
• Career Info by Major can tell you where different CFANS degrees can take you!

Resources for educators

Access resources & programs at CFANS and UMN

• AgriCast for lesson plans produced by CFANS students
• Bell Museum for activity kits and field trips
• Center for Climate Literacy for professional development, a literature database, and resources for getting your students outdoors
• CFANS visits and field trips give you and your students a chance to learn more about the exciting research going on in our college
• Driven to Discover Curriculum for Youth Programs & Classrooms provides extensive resources to support participatory science projects with youth
• Migratory & Urban Bird Institute has a workshop on urban and migratory birds
• Minnesota Council on Economic Education supports teachers at all grade levels in teaching economics and personal finance, including lesson plans and professional development
• Minnesota Youth Institute While students can attend this CFANS event on their own, some teachers incorporate it into their curriculum (support is available) and bring their whole classes!
• Participatory Science Projects with UMN Extension
• Phenology Investigations in Minnesota Schools join a cohort from across the state to study seasonal changes
• Pollinators in the Science Classroom for curriculum materials and toolkits
• Offal Wildlife Watching Project help researchers collect data by watching wildlife videos
• Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) Workshop to learn about green chemistry lessons to use with your students
• SeaGrant provides so many opportunities including lesson plans, videos, an aquaculture challenge, Bio Blitzes, and more!

Connect with other local organizations

• Climate Generation has activities and tool kits for teaching about climate change
• Conservation Minnesota Youth Program connects you and your students to resources and support for designing student-driven conservation projects
• Friends of the Mississippi offers downloadable curriculum are below and in-person experiences
• Midwest Dairy has lesson plans, games, and virtual farm tours
• Mississippi Park Connection provides online resources, standards-based lesson plans, and field trips
• MN Agriculture in the Classroom supports ALL teachers in incorporating critical agriculture, food science, and environmental science topics into their curricula. They provide an amazing trove of standards-based lesson plans as well as Farm Camp (field trips) and Ag Mags for use with your students. In addition, they have a Summer Teacher Tour program to provide teachers the opportunity to explore agricultural spaces across the state.
• MN Department of Natural Resources provides lessons, outdoor teaching tips, free posters/resources, and opportunities for professional development
• MN Nursery & Landscape Association offers horticulture curriculum resources for free online or a book that can be purchased
• Northern Gardener by the MN State Horticulture Society distributes free Garden-in-a-Box kits across the state, including to schools!
• Northern Green is a green industry trade show and educational conference - in October, they have special “try it” activities for high school classes to sample different careers
• Spark-Y fosters school partnerships and provides curriculum development mentorship for teachers interested in teaching about sustainability and entrepreneurship
• Young Naturalists is a publication of stories about natural resources and outdoor life

Explore more educator resources

• American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture provides standards-based lesson plans, resources, and professional development including the 2025 challenge: Water Wise Farms: Gravity in Action
• Audubon Adventures introduces young people to the world of nature through online features and interactive games, plus resources for educators
• Awesome Aquifer from the Groundwater Foundation is a lab kit or digital project to help students learn about groundwater (sponsorships provided)
• Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (Case 4 Learning) provides curriculum and professional development opportunities
• Cornell Lab of Ornithology has lessons, activities, and participatory science experiences (online)
• Data Nuggets are highly differentiated classroom activities that bring research scenarios to the classroom
• Discover Dairy “Adopt a Cow” Program for a year-long experience with your students!
• En-Roads Climate Solutions Simulator allows students to learn about the many variables affecting climate and the complexity of their interactions
• Farmers 2025 is a simulation game that allows students to learn the realism of managing a farm
• Living Lands & Waters provides hands-on activities as well as professional development opportunities
• Monarch Joint Venture has teaching resources and professional development opportunities
• Nutrients for Life offers STEM activities and lessons that show how the challenge to feed our world's growing population can be solved with science
• Seed Your Future has lesson plans and webinars for teaching students about plant science and horticulture careers
• Where the Food Comes From is a show (with 22-minute episodes and short videos) that explores farms, research labs, restaurants, and all points along the food chain

Join professional organizations

• MN Association of Agricultural Educators
• MN Association for Environmental Education
• MN Council on Economic Education
• MN Science Teachers Association
• MN Teach Ag Ed

Contact Us

Want to stay in touch? Make sure to sign up for our newsletter. If you’re interested in learning more about CFANS opportunities or have questions, please contact:

Cathleen Drilling
Director of Strategic Outreach
[email protected]