This week, Teach Ag Minnesota is proud to spotlight Elijah Doyamo, one of our 2025 Agricultural Education Interns, as he explores real-world agriculture, food and natural resources education experiences in the heart of St. Paul. Elijah, a senior at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, is completing his internship at Highland Park High School with cooperating teacher Harley Braun. His recent social media takeover gave followers a glimpse into the diverse and dynamic world of urban agricultural education.
From Gardens to Pollinators
Elijah has spent his summer immersed in hands-on learning with students from St. Paul Public Schools through his placement at Highland Park High School. Elijah has been working closely with Highland Park agriculture teacher Ms. Braun to develop Career Development Event (CDE) and Leadership Development Event (LDE) resources for the coming school year. He’s also putting his skills to the test through final teaching observations and curriculum planning for the school’s Introduction to Agriculture course.
Growing His Skills
Elijah also spent a week at Como Park High School supporting similar hands-on learning experiences. He’s worked alongside agriculture teacher Josh Munoz and partnered with the Right Track youth employment program. “Monday we had the opportunity to do some garden/farm maintenance with the Right Track students and they got their first paycheck, so we reviewed some agribusiness/personal finance,” Elijah shared. Later that week, Elijah joined students at the University of St. Thomas to collect pollinator data with a university professor. “We got to learn more about pollinator data, Minnesota's native landscape, and post-secondary opportunities for students,” he said, reflecting on the value of connecting science and career exploration.
A Passion for Community and Science
Elijah’s enthusiasm for agricultural education is rooted in his love for both science and community. “Having familial connections to agriculture has made the profession very interesting to me,” he says. “The rapid change and evolution of the industry makes it very interesting as the future becomes less predictable and more adventurous as a profession.”
Follow along with Teach Ag Minnesota to hear more stories from one of one of our 2025 Agricultural Education Interns who are gaining classroom experience and shaping the future of agricultural education.