Thanks to the joint efforts of the Rock Island County Farm Bureau Foundation and University of Illinois-Rock Island County Extension, the reality of a part-time Agriculture Literacy Coordinator became a reality in November 2007.

Sheryl Solomonson started in late November as the new Agriculture Literacy Coordinator for Rock Island County. The agriculture literacy position also allows Sheryl the opportunity to expand on her Master's degree research as well as create opportunities for all youth to learn about agriculture.

Sheryl's core responsibilities include providing support to programs and activities conducted by the Rock Island County Agriculture Literacy Coalition* This group has provided AgriScience Kits, MaGic Kits and other Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom activities to teachers throughout Rock Island County. In addition. she serves as the key resource person for conducting inservice teacher workshops for Rock Island County teachers which will expand their knowledge and importance of agriculture within their curriculum.

Sheryl is a graduate of the University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Economics and a Master's degree in Agricultural Education. Prior to her current position, Sheryl lived in Indiana working for Purdue Extension as a 4-H Youth Development and Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Educator. Sheryl's counties were Fountain and Martin County.

The Quad City transplant hails from a small town in Central Illinois where she grew up on a grain farm. Sheryl participated in 4-H and FFA as a youth. Sheryl relocated to Coal Valley in early November and married Jay Solomonson on November 17, 2007. They live on the family farm in rural Coal Valley.

Sheryl's office is located in the Rock Island County Farm Bureau Building and splits part of her office time also at the Extension office located at 4550 Kennedy Drive in East Moline. She can be reached by phone at (309) 736-7432 ext. 206 or by e-mail at aitc@qconline.com or at ssolomo@uiuc.edu