This post is part of the Science Tuesday feature series on the USDA blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from the USDA’s rich science and research portfolio.

By Mary Ann Rozum, National Program Leader, USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture

As a national program leader at USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, a grant-making organization, I am normally on the front end of ensuring that scientific information makes its way onto the farm and into classrooms across the nation. However, last week I had the opportunity to get my hands dirty, so to speak, by participating in National Lab Day (NLD).

NLD is a nationwide initiative that matches volunteer students and scientific professionals with educators to bring discovery-based science experiences to students in grades K-12. The NLD website matched me with fifth-grade teacher Doug Schoemer at Flint Hill School in Fairfax County, Virginia to teach an earth science project on the Nile River and the history of food production and natural river cycles.

We taught an interactive watershed exhibit that demonstrated erosion and flooding and ways to manage agriculture production in ancient times as well as the present. In addition, we used Google Earth maps and had each student adopt a section of the Nile River and interpret aerial photos of agriculture fields, dams and cities today and plot points from their textbooks on the map.

In addition to teaching Mr. Schoemer’s class, I taught two additional fifth grade classes about the watershed demonstration and how river systems function, whether on the Nile, or the local Potomac or the Mississippi Rivers, and the importance of protecting watersheds and water supplies.  The students asked a lot of good questions on how we get our city water supplies and how to protect their own home wells and ponds from pollution.  The students led a virtual tour of the Nile River with Google Earth maps, and have continued to use mapping to study more current issues such as the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Mr. Schoemer and I are planning more ways to use the watershed exhibit in the classroom next year and new ways to apply mapping to other classroom projects.  In fact, I enjoyed the experience so much that I plan to follow up with another school with a schoolyard garden.  NLD is a great way to not only get to know the schools in my local community but to also share my passion and expertise with the next generation of future scientists.

Fifth Grade teacher Doug Schoemer instructs his students about their Google Earth assignment.

By USDA Rural Development Housing Administrator Tammye Treviño

June is Homeownership month!

This year’s theme is “Protecting the American Dream.”  Dozens of communities across the nation have planned events and activities throughout June to highlight their role in supporting homeownership. During June, USDA officials will highlight the benefits of homeownership and share information on ways families can remain successful homeowners. In addition to direct home loan funds, USDA also can assist in providing weatherization and energy efficiency improvements, reduce health and safety risks and improve accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

We assist American families each day.  For example, In Missouri, newlyweds Charles and Naomi Hess heard about USDA Rural Development’s housing program through their parents.  Working through the Moberly Rural Development office, the couple applied for a direct loan with funds provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. They were able to buy a home with a monthly payment they could afford.

President Obama and USDA are committed to bringing the necessary resources to rural America provide decent, affordable housing to those who need it.  As Secretary Vilsack said recently, “A strong Nation is made up of strong families, and safe, quality housing contributes greatly to rural Americans’ quality of life.”

With that in mind, USDA is reaching out to very-low income residents – residents who have traditionally made up a smaller portion of our pool of borrowers, but who are in great need of assistance in finding quality, affordable housing in their communities.  It is a challenge to reach these individuals, who disproportionately reside in the poorest and most rural counties in the country.  In an effort to reach these potential borrowers, I recently launched the Single-Family Housing direct loan Outreach Initiative.  This program, funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, places special emphasis on reaching the residents of persistent poverty counties across the country.

We are working with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, State and local partners and, of course lenders, to improve the quality of housing and make it possible for rural Americans to enjoy safe, affordable and sanitary housing. As a member of the Obama Administration, it is truly a privilege to serve as the Administrator of USDA’s Rural Housing programs.  I look forward to working with our partners and with the public through USDA’s State and area offices, to continue serve the residents of rural America.

Left to right:  USDA Rural Development staff Michelle Hoffman, Amy Milburn and Wylie Chandler stand in front of a home being constructed with USDA funding support.

Do you live in a rural community without a tornado warning siren?

“Right now we have money. We can help as many [communities] as come to us,” said Phil Lehmkuhler, Indiana’s rural development state director for the United States Department of Agriculture. Read more »