Luther Porter Middle School in Surry County has been awarded one of 75 grants from the Virginia Agriculture in the Classroom program.

The grants will be allocated to provide 30,000 youth in urban and rural areas with unique agricultural experiences related to gardening, animal agriculture, nutrition, STEM integrations and leadership development. The grants were awarded to schools in 52 Virginia localities for the 2023-24 school year.

The grants and the projects they support also help youth gain a better understanding of food production and career opportunities in the agriculture field, according to a news release.

“Learning about the environment and academics through gardening is a theme for several grant projects this year — ranging from indoor and outdoor gardens to aquaponics and hydroponics,” said Tammy Maxey, Virginia AITC executive director. “These grant projects also create community engagement and career awareness throughout the grade levels. Youth from preschool through high school in public and private educational settings will have an opportunity to learn about a variety of agricultural concepts.”