Kinsley
High School
Kinsley,
Kansas
Teacher:
Dr. Galen R. Boehme
Bringing
Agriculture Into High School
By
Kristen
Herrmann
Even though the drawbacks of fewer school hours and students simply wanting to get out of class exist, a youth apprenticeship program focusing upon agriculture would benefit the students in Kinsley, Kansas planning to enter a field in agriculture at least three ways: Using facilities, having available employers, and gaining knowledge.
A
youth apprenticeship program is a time-release period from school in which a
student goes to a work place and learns by doing. The student then receives
hands-on working experience working with a skilled professional.
During the program, 80 percent of the time will be spent learning
skills from a certified worker and 20 percent of the time learning the
theoretical and technical aspects.
The
proposed program would be in the Kinsley-Offerle School District where
students work in the community. This area is a highly agricultural based
economy focusing mainly on the production and sale of wheat, corn, and cattle.
Some area agricultural based businesses are Collingwood, Goldenbelt Feeders,
and the Offerle Coop. Along with these businesses, many self-employed farmers
work in the area, owning their own farm ground and livestock. Juniors and
seniors in the high school wanting to pursue an agriculture-based career could
take part in the youth apprenticeship program. Each apprentice would be
required to maintain a 2.5 GPA in order to stay in the program. Throughout the
year, the apprentices would rotate through different areas of the industry,
gaining a broad overview in many areas rather than just one.
The
mission of the program would be to create a successful, well-rounded program
where students could gain a wide knowledge of the agricultural field.
The students would then be able to continue a post-secondary field of
study in the area or be qualified to directly enter the work force after high
school. The students must leave the program, having developed competent and
assertive agricultural leadership, an increased awareness of the importance of
agriculture and its contribution to our well being. The apprentices should
leave the program as skilled workers in the area of study and be able to work
in the agriculture field having a workable knowledge of crops, livestock, and
management.
The
first and most significant benefit of a youth apprenticeship program in our
area is the availability of agriculture careers in our area. Living in a rural
agricultural setting allows plenty of opportunity for this type of program.
Along with the availability of careers, a second benefit exists. There is the
availability of employers or mentors with a broad knowledge of the areas
covered. The best people to help one to gain this knowledge would be the
farmers of the area. Most of these men have lived on a farm all of their lives
and in turn have a vast knowledge of the industry. By gaining extra knowledge
in the junior and senior years of high school, the students are planning for
the future. The possibility even exists for establishing two or three classes
during the freshman and sophomore years to prepare for the apprenticeship
program. Such a program exists at Viroqua High School where students can take
Introduction to Agriculture and Plant Science their ninth grade year. From
there they can take more advanced courses, gradually moving up the
“ladder” to the more advanced classes and also the apprenticeship program.
Viroqua offers more advanced classes for the different grade levels. After
taking the introductory course, the students could take other classes. Certain
classes such as animal/dairy science and veterinarian science are the next
step in the program. Other
classes could exist. Another program offers classes in agricultural machinery
and horticulture. A fourth benefit deals with student income.
Students can also work for two school hours during the day to earn an
income while still gaining high school credits.This arrangement allows the
students the option of working with the same employer after school as well as
during the summer months.
Some
drawbacks do exist. First, the students will have fewer actual class hours in
the school. Instead of having seven classes per school day, the apprentice
will have only five class contact hours.
Second, some students in the school might see this program as a way to
get out of school for a couple of hours. These students may not even have an
interest in agriculture. Third, the seasonal or weather conditions may
interfere with the working environment. During the winter months the crops are
dormant and this time will take up a great part of the school year. Weather
conditions may also affect the ability to perform certain outside tasks.
The
drawbacks can be overcome. Concerning the limited class time, offering a
summer program in agriculture would allow the students to take part in the
seven-class schedule during the school year. They would be using their own
time during the summer months. A summer program would also eliminate those
“free riders” that take part in the program to having fewer classes during
the school day. By putting the program in the summer as well, apprentices
would be forced to use their own free time. The SHARP program takes 25
students during mid-June to mid-August. Organizers
of the program would be made up of both administrators from the school,
teachers from the school, and agricultural related business people. These
guidelines could include prerequisite agricultural classes taken during the
freshman-sophomore-junior years. This arrangement would also eliminate those
who lack the actual want to participate in the program for future use. There
must also be a set number of apprentices taking part. A limited enrollment in
the program should show that other guidelines for admittance should also be
set. Those guidelines could include having a personal interview or writing an
essay.
Although
few drawbacks exist, an agriculture apprenticeship program would benefit both
the students and the community of Kinsley and the surrounding areas.
Responses
To Questions
1.
In
our community, an “internship” program exists within our school district.
The internship program is the time released to a local business during the
school day. The school allows a student to leave the school grounds for two
hours of the day to participate in the program. The student works under
supervision to gain an understanding of areas such as auto-body repair,
cosmetology, and computers. Some
students are paid for their work and others work for free, depending on the
employer. Students working in
auto-body repair work along side of a professional to learn how to repair a
damaged door, for example. An apprentice in cosmetology will not actually cut
a customer’s hair, but actually works along side a present cosmetologist to
gain a feel of the tasks one might be performing.
A computer’s apprentice deals with actual hand-on computer work.
Perhaps tasks could include putting a computer together. Apprentices are all
required to keep an up-to-date journal of their work experiences that must be
handed in to the principal on a regular basis.
2.
The three goals of the Kansas School-To-Work Program are economic
development, education reform, and work force development. Major companies
such as Boeing Commercial Airplane Group, Sprint, Benjamin Ranch, and Raytheon
take part in the program with 58 school districts in the state. Cities such as
Wichita, Kansas City, and Topeka, some of the largest in Kansas, participate
in these programs. The larger companies, such as Boeing out of Wichita, do
hire the youth apprentices to take part in certain everyday work. At this
aircraft maker, the students are shifted through several tasks to learn many
different jobs. This is also true for the Sprint, Benjamin Ranch, and Raytheon
companies. All four, along with many others,
work to give the students proper training and in turn may expect the
apprentices to work for their company permanently.
By doing this they have the choice of staying at the company. In turn,
they already have the proper training and a different, new employee would not
have to be retrained. The only drawback to this type of program is that not
everyone can participate. Students not living by one of these cities cannot
work there and none of these companies are located near these students.
3.
On May 4, 1994, the summary of the School-to-Work Opportunities Act was
signed into law and in the same year, the Goals 2000 Act was passed. The
Opportunities Act included provisions such as “to facilitate a universal,
high qualified school-to-work transition system that enables youths in the
United States to identify and navigate paths to productive and progressively
more rewarding roles in the work place.” The purpose of the
School-to-Work-Act was to establish a national understanding so that all
states can develop a program. This would prepare the students for their future
careers in their lives. Federal funds could be used to begin and maintain each
of the programs.1 The Goals 2000 Act was created to “promote
coherent, nationwide, systemic education reform.” The building of
opportunity-to-learn standards was one of the goals that the bill outlined.
Under the Act several objectives were set for our nation’s schools. The high
school graduation rate will increase to 90 percent, the United States will be
first in the world in math and science achievement, and every school will
promote partnerships that will increase parental involvement.
4.
The Duckwall’s variety store in our community takes part in a youth
apprenticeship program. Along with the description in question number one, the
program acts as a time release job. The apprentice is responsible for
completing every day store work. Working with the customers and helping out
where needed is involved in the job title. The apprentice is at the business
for two school hours and is paid for her work on an hourly basis. Several
other businesses exist within the community that could take part in the
apprenticeship program. The local economy is based mainly on agriculture and
houses a grain elevator, feedlots, and many farmers. Students could find one
of these types of businesses to take part in the program. One working at a
grain elevator could learn about all of the steps involved in the grain
storage process. One working at a feedlot could learn about the upkeeping of
the feedlot facility and taking care of the livestock. An apprentice could
work for a local farmer, completing everyday farming activities such as
tilling a field or learning about the livestock.
5.
Outcome
based is often defined as the knowledge and skill that one has after
completing the youth apprenticeship program.
After completing an auto-body repair program, one must be able to
actually do the work expected of him. The opportunity to tell others that so
many hours of school have been completed does nothing for the apprentice.
Rather, proving to others that the actual auto-body repair can be completed
shows more. After leaving the program, nothing is accomplished if the
apprentice is not able to complete the work. A future employer is more likely
to hire an individual who has more work skills rather than a certain number of
hours completed.
6.
The
AFL-CIO might be opposed to youth development programs because the program
focuses on the use of the name, because the experience must lead somewhere,
and the hype to begin a program could weaken the value. The youth
apprenticeship name is often the center of the discussion rather than the
actual program itself. Union officials believe the word “apprentice”
should be used for other uses rather than in this program.
Many critics often think the word “apprentice” should not be used
to describe the program. Rather, the term should be used to recognize workers
already in the field. The Union
is structured and follows strict guidelines in order to master the program.
Students must complete the program and finish somewhat mastering some
of the work. Some students leave the program with no intentions of carrying on
any further. The rush to begin
the program could weaken the value. Often times one is more concerned with
starting the program, they often lose sight of the expected outcomes of the
program.
7.
Three
reasons employers might be opposed to youth apprenticeship programs are these:
The low maturity level of the students, the possibility of extra costs, and
the hazardous nature of the work. The students taking part in the program are
young people. The employers often believe that they would rather hire a more
mature worker rather than an apprentice. Employers feel that there is a
possibility of the younger workers not staying with the company for a longer
period of time. The thought also arises that a student having a post-secondary
degree would be more qualified than an apprentice would.
The possibility of extra costs does arise in the employer’s mind as
well. There is a cost that exists to pay for the training of the youth
apprentice for the entire training process. Rather than paying for the
training, employers once again opt to hire the more mature, skilled worker.
The third factor is that the work might be hazardous to the apprentice.
Certain child labor laws exist that could be violated during the youth
apprenticeship program. The company is in a great risk of suffering the
consequences that could come by breaking a law. For this reason, the employer
could possibly veer away from the youth program.
8.
The Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences brings agriculture
into the urban area of Chicago. The
school allows students who otherwise would not have the opportunity to study
agriculture. Students are provided with the required courses to enter a
post-secondary career. Teachers work to use all other subjects that are taught
other classrooms in their own teaching. The math is applied to graphing
cornfields and creating production charts rather than just doing problems from
a math book. This type of learning allows the students to have a different,
more hands-on experience while learning basic subjects. Students reaching
their senior year can complete an apprenticeship program. The apprentices go
to a college campus for about six weeks during the summer to work on a farm.
The school offers a “2+2” program in which the students may gain
dual credit through the college and the high school.
9.
Contextual learning, applied learning, community-based learning and
experiential learning are all terms related to youth education. Contextual
learning deals with the notion that one will be educated by actually reading.
This is a type of learning that is most likely to be completed in the
classroom rather than outside. Community-based learning deals with high school
internships. The student is leaving school to go out into the community to
receive some sort of training. Applied learning is hand-on learning and is
applied. This is one type of learning that could be completed inside or
outside the classroom. Experiential learning is the actual doing of actual
work. This also deals with a youth apprenticeship because the student leaves
the school to go out and perform actual work at a business in the community.
10. The federal government’s role is described by the word “catalyst.” The word “catalyst” is defined as a stimulus or something that causes activity. Some critics stated that “Washington’s role is chiefly to act as a catalyst for efforts by local school systems and business to harmonize their curricula, job training and hiring practices.” The government must serve as a key factor in the youth apprenticeship program. The goal is helping the apprentices to gain national credibility and to become highly qualified workers of the future. Employers must recognize this factor and hire the apprentices without feeling uncertain about the skills of the student.