New Ag Classrooms Prepare Students For Real-World Challenges
ANDY ANDREWS'
Lancaster Farming Staff
MANHEIM (Lancaster Co.)
The “class-to-real-world” journey
for a lot of Lancaster County agri
cultural science students began, in
large part, back in the summer of
1994.
A trip organized by Heather
Anderson, ag instructor at Man
heim Central High School, to two
schools in Virginia may have
paved the way for the future of
many high school ag science gra
duates and FFA members through
out the region.
Anderson, who used to teach at
James Woods'High School, the
county high school in Winchester,
Va. (one of the schools visited on
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A feature of the work at Penn Manor was a new green
house addition, measuring 16 feet by 60 feet, separated into
three zones. Vince Metzler, president of Manor FFA, looks
over the plans on the site of the new greenhouse, next to the
old classrooms.
About 88 members are Involved In the Solanco FFA and were responsible for set*
ting up the trophy cases and other displays, In addition to putting the “finishing touch
es” on some interior work after construction. FFA officers from left are Jim Pelllccio,
student adviser; Jim Kerr, county president; and Brltlna Robinson, second vice
president.
the trip), was accompanied by sev
eral ag teachers. They included
Deb Seibert, also of Manheim;
Carole Fay of Penn Manor High
School in Millcrsville; Dr. Arba
Henry of Solanco High School in
Quarryville; Ron Frederick of
Twin Valley High School in Elver
son; and several others. They vis
ited James Woods in addition to
Sherando High School.
Their mission? Look at the ag
mechanics and ag science structure
and curriculum of the schools and
see what made them successful.
The teachers took notes. Then
they brought those design ideas
back home to Lancaster County.
The conclusion, according to
Deb Seibert of Manheim Central,
A 30- by 44-foot greenhouse was built with grant money by the department at a cost
of $lB,OOO, noted Seibert, separate from the money used on general school construc
tion. Manheim students, standing, left to right, are Kelly Moore, sophomore; Lori
Landis, sophomore; Emily Heistand, Junior; Mandl Elsenhooth, Junior; Lucinda Mar
tin, Junior; Sherry Groff, junior; and Carina Gelb, Junior. Kneeling, in front, from left
Greg Shenk, Junior; Ryan Burkhart, junior; Nick Young, Junior; Derek Hershey, fresh
man; and Jeremy Kready, freshman.
v *
was that those schools have suc
cessfully integrated the latest
equipment into the classroom.
Industry demands that students be
prepared: what better way to do it
than to have the latest equipment
and technology available at stu
dents’ fingertips?
As a result, in the past several
years, three Lancaster County high
schools —Manheim, Solanco, and
Penn Manor have undergone
major renovations and construc
tion. Along with new construction
has come new ag science laborato
ries, ag mechanics facilities, high
tech classrooms, and identical
equipment being used in many loc
”al ag-related industries.
In all cases, before construction
began, the high school ag science
instructors and FFA advisers pro
vided input and incorporated
design decisions in the formation
of the laboratories.
Manheim Central
At Manheim Central High
School, instructor Deb Seibert
pointed to 13 new welding booths
in the small engines/welding
laboratory. The booths were
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Emily Helstand plants flowers in front of the new green
house at Manhelm.
Included In the Solanco construction Is en ag biology
classroom, an ag mechanics classroom, an ag mechanics
lab, and office space. Ryan Krelder, a freshman, puts the
finishing touches on a sawhorse.