Aidan Curtis
AGRICULTURE students are setting themselves up for their future careers and learning a range of vital skills as part of a pilot program.
Penola High School’s agriculture course has gotten students out of the classroom and into the paddock to get hands-on experience with livestock.
The course, which kicked off at the start of this year, has seen students learn anything from animal health to plant science.
With the course having found positive engagement from the students, the school has organised an agriculture open night to show the community what the kids have learned so far.
Agriculture teacher Cory O’Connor said he hopes to see many community members swing by for a look.
“We’re just showcasing what our ag program has done across the year, so where it’s grown from nothing to quite a sustainable practice,” he said.
“We also want to showcase to the community how their donations are benefitting the students’ educations and growing our next generation of farmers and livestock agents.”
Mr O’Connor said students doing the course were not just learning how to be farmers, with all sorts of opportunities opening up through this education.
“We have a lot of kids who come from a town background, as such, and they’re doing it because they want to be vets or just love animals,” he said.
“We cater from animal health down to plant science and everything in between.”
Students Jack and Mia both came into the course from farming backgrounds and said they were learning handy skills.
“In ag, we’re learning with sheep and we’re training them to walk on a lead so they can get used to it and they’re behaving themselves really well,” Jack said.
“I live on a farm and I lead cattle, and it’s something that I am passionate about and hoping to do in the future – it’s helping me learn different ways to help on the farm,” Mia said.
The agriculture open night will be held from 4:30pm to 7pm on Thursday, September 21.
