By Sarah West, College of Agricultural Sciences Graduate: 

The Junior Ag. Ambassador program, organized and maintained by the Agricultural Education program within the College of Agricultural Sciences at Colorado State University, uses a badging system to reward elementary-aged students for engaging in agricultural literacy activities. The system of badging may motivate students to participate in an activity for a variety of reasons (Fanfarelli, & McDaniel, 2015, 2). Badging, or rewarding students with badges at the end of an activity, rests on themes such as personal enjoyment and connection, independence, recognition, and values (Abramovich, 2014). 

Students who are given badges for participating in an activity are more likely to enjoy the experience, to personally connect with the activity, to feel independent and take ownership of the activity, and feel valued for participating (Wardrip, 2014). Other motivational factors based on badging may include “curiosity, exploration, thirst for knowledge, [and] improved ability;” all of which may increase the chance that an individual participate in, and be personally impacted by an activity (Fanfarelli, & McDaniel, 2015, 4). Overall, utilizing a system of badging to reward elementary-aged students for participating in agricultural literacy activities stems from the ability of badges to motivate individuals to not only participate in an activity, but to take ownership and be personally impacted by the experience as well.