Laying the groundwork for student success

November 15, 2021
A photo looking down into a soil pit; a clipboard and a tin of soil samples are in the foreground; students in the pit are in the background. Photo by Aimee Gillespie.
Photo of UMN students interpreting a soil pit in Crookston, Minnesota by Aimee Gillespie.

Before the UMN Soil Judging Team could win the Region V contest, Dr. Nic Jelinski had to lay the groundwork for a successful learning experience. Through his network of soil scientists, agronomists, landowners, and farmers, Jelinski secured seven field sites in and around Crookston, and opened up 27 soil pits for students to interpret. “There is no other context that we would have that many soil pits open in a small area. It’s such an amazing learning opportunity for the students, and for me as the organizer.”

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