Virginia Agriculture in the Classroom awarded more than $36,000 recently in grants for educational projects. It awarded 75 grants in 51 Virginia localities for the 2023-2024 school year, including a grant to Middlesex Elementary School (MES). 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 Southside Sentinel reports the grants and the projects they support also help youth gain a better understanding of food production and career opportunities in the agriculture field.