Alumni Profiles

The St. Mary’s High School agricultural education program, under the direction of Jason Hughes, was recognized as the WVAAE Outstanding Middle/Secondary Program for 2003. The program has averaged 80 students, 20% of the school’s total enrollment, during the past five years. Classes are offered in Ag. Science I and II, aquaculture, hydroponics, forestry, and biotechnology. Facilities include a classroom, biotechnology and water quality lab, agricultural mechanics lab, and two greenhouses used for bedding plant production and the hydroponic production of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and strawberries. The program also has a seven acre school farm that is utilized for classroom research and Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) programs. The farm property includes a 50' X 100' metal pole barn utilized by our agricultural science classes, students, and county fair.

The agricultural science program at St. Marys High School offers a lab-based learning environment with a modern curriculum that is technologically enriched. Competitive grant monies have made it possible to develop new and exciting courses as well as modernize existing curriculum. With the assistance of nearly $20,000 in state grant monies, a course in aquaculture is available for students. Students learn all aspects of fish biology; from reproduction to nutrition. The program includes a two 450 gallon tanks system and a hatchery facility. The aquaculture facility is connected with one of the greenhouses. A system has been developed to pump the fish waste water from one tank into the greenhouse. The water flows across the roots of bibb lettuce plants in the hydroponic system. A course in hydroponics follows the aquaculture course. After students merge the aquaculture and hydroponic systems, they are broken into groups and encouraged to design and construct their own hydroponic system.

Grants totaling $25,000 have made it possible to construct a laboratory in the existing complex and purchase lab equipment to begin a biotechnology course. Students perform countless experiments that include: electrophoresis, DNA fingerprinting, restriction enzyme analysis, transformation, conjugation, gene splicing, genetic engineering, and tissue culturing.

SAEs play a vital role in the program. All students are required to conduct an SAE. Since many of the students live in town and do not have access to a farm, finding the proper enterprise can be a challenge. Many students utilize the school farm to conduct their enterprises. Truck crops such as sweet corn, green beans, potatoes, pumpkins, peppers, turnips, and tomatoes are raised by many students. Students have also constructed pens on the farm to house their hogs for the ham and bacon sale and county fair. Students who live in rural areas or on farms are involved in many areas of agriculture production including: horses, beef cattle, timber, turfgrass management, and farm improvement. Agricultural placement opportunities are also encouraged for students not interested or unable to conduct production enterprises. Students have worked at a variety of local businesses and industries that include: produce departments in local grocery stores, floral shops, lumber mills, landscaping and nursery operations, landscaping at McDonalds, and the Natural Resource Conservation Service.

FFA involvement of students is a major part of our program. St. Mary’s students have earned numerous district, state, and national awards. One of the greatest assets to the program is the St. Mary’s FFA Boosters. Members of the boosters help chaperone trips, train judging teams, assist at the ham/bacon sale and fair, and raise funds to support the program. By organizing a window sale with donated windows from Simonton Windows, the boosters raised $20,000 to purchase a barn for the school farm.

The St. Mary’s agricultural education program is a "Partner in Education" with Alpharma Inc., formally Roche Vitamins. Alpharma has provided the program with technical and financial support in developing their biotechnology course and lab. Alpharma has also been instrumental in the development of the Delno Higgins Memorial Scholarship. Each year, two senior members of the program are awarded a $2000 and a $500 scholarship to attend a college or technical school.

The St. Mary’s program has been selected to receive the 2003 Region VI National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) Outstanding Middle/Secondary Program. The program will be honored in December during the NAAE National Conference in Orlando, Florida.