When Gabby Bengford stood in front of a classroom full of wide-eyed fourth graders, she posed a simple question: “What do you think I do with all the corn I buy?”
The answers came fast. “You feed animals!” one student shouted. “You make gas!” guessed another.
That moment, where curiosity meets possibility, is exactly why Gabby brought POET’s story into the classroom. Through Iowa’s Ag in the Classroom program, Gabby gave nearly 200 students an inside look at the journey from cornfields to clean energy, sharing not only how bioethanol is made but why it matters.
And for Gabby, it was personal. “A lot of these kids grew up the same way I did; in a small Iowa community,” she said. “It felt like a full-circle moment to come back and show them what’s possible right here in their hometown.”
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Wearing many hats at POET
Gabby’s path to POET started at Iowa State University, where she earned her degree in Business and Economics. After graduation, she accepted a position as a merchandiser at POET Bioprocessing– Arthur and put down roots in Ida County.
But her role quickly expanded beyond grain buying. From helping with community events to mentoring interns and even coaching high school FFA teams, Gabby wears many hats—a reflection of POET’s culture of empowerment and versatility.
“No two people here have the same story,” Gabby said. “That’s one of the coolest things about working at POET. Everyone brings their own interests and strengths, and the company encourages you to pursue them.”
So when the opportunity to participate in Ag in the Classroom came up, it felt like a natural fit.
Bringing POET into the classroom
The invitation came through Gabby’s prior volunteer work with Farm Bureau. This spring, they asked if she’d be willing to visit local classrooms and talk about corn, biofuels, and her role at POET.
Gabby said yes—and quickly got to work.
She visited eight classrooms across northwest Iowa as part of Siouxland Ag in the Classroom. Her curriculum touched 176 students ranging from second to fourth grade. Using an aerial photo of the POET plant, she walked the students through the process of turning corn into bioethanol, explaining how each load of corn plays a part in creating clean, renewable fuel.
“I started by showing them where I work, what the plant looks like, and what I do every day,” she explained. “Then I asked them what they thought happened to the corn. It opened up a great conversation.”
The students were full of questions. “Can you use anything besides corn to make bioethanol?” one asked. “What happens to the leftovers after you make bioethanol?” another wondered.
“They were so curious,” Gabby said. “I loved seeing those lightbulb moments.”
Learning by doing: The Corn Market Game
But Gabby didn’t just talk. She made learning hands-on.
She designed an interactive activity where students role-played as farmers, grain buyers, and bioethanol plants. They practiced setting prices, navigating supply and demand scenarios, and negotiating sales with their classmates.
“One of the scenarios had a tornado wipe out half the crop, so they had to figure out what would happen to prices,” Gabby said. “By the end, they realized how unpredictable markets can be and how many decisions go into buying and selling corn.”
For the students, it was part game, part real-world economics lesson. “They told me it was harder than they thought!” Gabby laughed.
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Advice for others: “Just offer”
Looking back on the experience, Gabby encourages others to get involved.
“If you’re interested—just offer,” she said. “Schools are excited to have people from the industry come in. You don’t have to be an expert in everything. Just sharing what you do every day makes a difference.”
Ag in the Classroom programs exist through the Iowa Ag Literacy Foundation and are supported by Iowa Farm Bureau Federations in nearly every Iowa county. Gabby believes there’s untapped opportunity for others across POET’s footprint to participate.
“There’s more interest out there than people realize,” she said. “Every time I’ve offered to come talk to a class or group, the answer has been, ‘Yes, please!’”
Building understanding, one classroom at a time
For Gabby, the experience wasn’t just about teaching kids where bioethanol comes from—it was about inspiring pride in their local economy and showing them the possibilities that grow right outside their doors.
“It’s about planting seeds of understanding,” she said. “If we can help the next generation see the value of agriculture and renewable energy, that’s how we build a stronger, more sustainable future.”
At POET, that future starts one conversation—and one classroom—at a time.
