814-Lancastar Farming, Saturday, Fabruary 7,1987
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♦ flip
Larry Ragan, left, and Dr. Jl -«*erno»
School for Agriculture. Ragan taught computer applications to the students while Fin
deis taught agricultural economics; both were pleased with the high level of enthusiasm
displayed by the 60 students attending the first school.
AwHcafion Deai'm is Feb. 27
Students Acclaim Governor's Ag School
BY SALLY BAIR
Lancaster County Correspondent
UNIVERSITY PARK - “It was
one of the best summers I ever
had,” Randy Risser says without
hesitation. Nicole Rovner agrees,
“I got so much more out of it than I
ever expected.”
What they are commenting on is
the Pennsylvania Governor’s
School for Agriculture, which is
now accepting applications for its
second session to be held at the
Pennsylvania State University
June 28 through Aug. 1.
The five-week school is designed
to introduce outstanding high
school juniors and seniors to the
diversity of agriculture. The five
weeks are filled with hands-on
experiences in labs, lectures, field
trips and visits with college
professors, and, according to these
two Lancaster County participants
in the first-ever program last
summer, it is an experience worth
cheeking into.
Nikki, a senior at Hempfield
High School, says she has known
since she was little that she wanted
to attend Penn State. However, the
five-week Governor’s School
“made me more enthusiastic
about Penn State. I met a lot of
professors I will have when I am
there.”
Although she has already made
plans to study wildlife science,
Nikki says, “The School made me
more aware of what was available
as far as majors.”
Risser, a senior at Solanco High
School, does not plan to attend
Penn State, but said, “It taught me
a lot about college, and I feel good
about going to college.”
He said about 50 percent of the 60
students attending the school were
from farms. He grew up on a farm
near Holtwood with a gram
business, and has been active in
the Future Farmers of America.
But he admits that he learned a lot
more about the kinds of careers
that are possible in agriculture.
“We went everywhere and learned
a little bit about everything.”
Those who were non-farm
students were definitely exposed to
a wider understanding of
agriculture, according to Risser,
who added, ‘ l l was too. ”
Larry Ragan, educational
coordinator for Agriculture In
formation Services with Penn
State, taught uses of computers to
the students. He says, “The kids
were really, really excited. It was
challenging to keep up with their
interest level."
Nr
Ragan was surprised that so few
of the students had computer
experience, but said they quickly
became enthusiastic about the
capabilities of the computer. Each
student was given an electronic
mail account so that they could
send messages via computer to
each other and to professors. Some
even requested sending a message
to the county agent in their home
county. Ragan said, “They ate it
up. It generated so much interest
we couldn’t keep the lab open
enough.”
Dr. Jill Findeis taught critical
issues and policies of agriculture
economics to the group and says,
“They seemed to have lots more
%
Nikki Rovner, a senior at Hempfield High School in
caster County, is planning to attend Penn State when
graduates, and was delighted to be able to work
professors she will have as an undergraduate.
energy than college students.”
This seemingly unending energy
paid off in her course, which in
cluded a lot of discussion.
Their young age, and in some
cases, lack of experience with
agricultural issues, made the class
interesting. Findeis says with a
smile, ‘‘Because of their age, they
wanted to see immediate payoffs.
They wanted to have an immediate
understanding of the 1985 Farm
Bill.” She said the mix of farm and
non-farm kept the discussions
interesting.
She said the large amount of
“hands-on experiences” were very
useful to the students in showing
(Turn to Page B 19)
Lan
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with
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