The Lampeter-Strasburg High School (LSHS) agriculture program, led by teachers Janae McMichael and Holly Oberholtzer, is one of six agricultural education programs nationwide that received the 2021 National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) Outstanding Middle/Secondary School Program Award, presented during the 2021 NAAE Convention from Nov. 30 through Dec. 4, 2021, in New Orleans.
The NAAE Outstanding Middle/Secondary Program Award is presented in recognition of agricultural education programs that have developed and grown to encompass, at the highest levels, all aspects of the agricultural education model - quality instruction, experiential learning, and student leadership development.
LSHS' Agriculture Department operates on the belief that all students should be given the opportunity to gain skills that encourage lifelong learning and productive citizenship, no matter their future career choice. The agriculture program seeks to helps prepare students for 21st-century jobs by developing professional skills such as problem-solving and investigation. McMichael and Oberholtzer work together to develop curricula that meet the needs of their individual students and the agriculture industry in their community. Currently, the program has two general pathways: Power, Structural & Technical Systems and Agriscience. In the last 15 years, the agriculture program has added specialized courses like Veterinary Sciences, Landscape and Plant Design, Agribusiness and Management, Small Gas Engines, and Electricity and Welding. Additionally, students may take an independent study credit so they can earn school credit for their supervised agricultural experience (SAE) project. Additionally, the Agriculture Department views FFA as an intracurricular organization, and an element of FFA is implemented within the curriculum of each agriculture class.
All LSHS agriculture students develop their own SAE project within the first week of classes. Students are encouraged to choose a project that will allow them to gain knowledge of skills needed for future career opportunities. SAE projects include developing and presenting animal science lessons in an elementary classroom, shadowing professionals, on-farm and off-farm placements, a small engine shop placement, horse training placements, managing greenhouses, exploring the field of entomology, and raising and showing livestock.
In keeping with the roots of the National FFA Organization, the Garden Spot FFA Chapter of LSHS aims to help students develop their potential for leadership, personal growth, and career success by providing opportunities for students to participate in a variety of activities and events throughout the year. Garden Spot FFA uses a committee structure that allows for members to get involved in program planning, leadership development, and service at the chapter level.
Through partnerships with industry specialists, community stakeholders, chapter alumni, advisory committee members, and community professionals, students are introduced to many different career paths. Advisory committee members, who are from diverse backgrounds and occupations, regularly aid the FFA in activities like mock job interviews and interviewing FFA members for officer positions. These partnerships are intended to strengthen the future of the agriculture industry.
NAAE is the professional organization for agricultural educators, with over 8,000 members nationwide. The mission of NAAE is "professionals providing agricultural education for the global community through visionary leadership, advocacy and service."
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