Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG), which offers student agriculture education programs in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, has opened an office in Orcutt to serve schools in northern Santa Barbara County.

SEEAG educators Moises Novoa and Olivia Gutierrez will conduct SEEAG’s signature programs, “Farm-To-Food Lab” and “STEM Career Pathways in Ag,” at schools in and around the Santa Maria Valley.

“We are excited to have a home for SEEAG in Orcutt thanks to our incredible community of supporters, with special thanks to the Henry Mayo Newhall Foundation and Edwin and Jeanne Woods Family Foundation,” says Caitlin Paulus-Case, SEEAG executive director.  “We look forward to cultivating new connections this year and beyond.”

Farm-to-Food Lab is for third graders and includes an in-class session, a field trip to Allan Hancock College Vineyard and Community Garden, followed by a classroom nutrition presentation. The three-part STEM Career Pathways program for high schoolers includes hands-on experience in agronomy, technology, and engineering through classroom labs and real-world exposure during field trips.

Because of the added staff and new Orcutt office, for the first time, SEEAG is able to run programs simultaneously in both Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. SEEAG’s programs are 100 percent cost-free for students, teachers and schools.

All program dates are booked for the 2024-25 school year. Reach out to Seth Wilmoth, SEEAG’s director of education operations, at [email protected] to be placed on our waitlist.

The SEEAG Orcutt office is at 145 S Gray Street, Suite 103. For more information about SEEAG, go to https://www.seeag.org or contact Paulus-Case at 805-585-5872, [email protected].