As Ag in Motion, a state-of-the-art mobile classroom, receives its finishing touches in preparation for its public unveiling next month, Rabobank announced Friday that it is donating $50,000 to the National Ag Science Center to help fund the effort.

Ag in Motion is a fifty-three-foot trailer featuring 20 laboratories complete with microscopes, lesson plans and the latest technology to deliver a unique educational experience to area seventh graders. The board of directors of the National Ag Science Center decided about a year ago to create a mobile classroom to tour middle schools and provide students with an educational experience designed to excite their minds and encourage future careers in agriculture.

"We were really impressed by the local agricultural leaders who stepped up with this remarkable solution when they saw that it was the students who were suffering the most from the ongoing budget cuts," said Rabobank Regional President Ed Rocha, in presenting the check to the Ag Science Center.

Funded with contributions from private donors, Ag in Motion and its educational offerings will be provided free of charge to all middle schools in the Central Valley. Lesson plans will be taught each visit which meet California's educational standards. They were developed and tested by area teachers who volunteered their time and expertise.

"The response from the education community has been overwhelming which makes this donation so special," said Michele Laverty, director of the National Ag Science Center. She added, "Every day we are being contacted by teachers throughout the San Joaquin Valley asking about Ag In Motion and wanting to schedule it to visit their school. We welcome these contributions which will help keep Ag in Motion on the road throughout the year and enable us to meet the hundreds of requests we have already received."

Ag in Motion will be unveiled to the public on June 22. For more information, visit the National Ag Science Center website at http://agsciencecenter.org/