High School and Youth Partners
Feb. 29, 2016
Dean’s Column by Ron Rosati, PhD
High schools around Nebraska (and surrounding states) are strong partners with the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in academic, leadership and outreach programs.
Each week, our students, faculty and staff have multiple conversations and opportunities to interact with high school students, their families, FFA chapters, 4-H clubs and teachers.
It is fitting that our institution which began as a regional high school in 1913 dedicated to production agriculture and training young farm and ranch youth continues that fine tradition today. Educating young people throught career education is our strength.
This week, we are hosting outstanding events on campus for high school students, along with outreach programs in the state. These include:
Feb. 29 – The Central Nebraska Science and Engineering Fair brought students from area high schools to NCTA to compete in academic contests. Thanks to NCTA chemistry instructor Dan Widick for coordinating this annual event in Curtis.
March 1 – NCTA hosted the final spring Career Development contest for about 300 FFA students from 13 area FFA chapters. The chapters and their advisors represented Arapahoe/Holbrook, Bertrand/Loomis (BerMiss), Cambridge, Chase County (Imperial), Dundy County-Stratton, Eustis-Farnam, Hayes Center, Maywood, McCook, Medicine Valley (Curtis), Southern Valley (Oxford), Southwest (Bartley ), and Wauneta-Palisade.
March 2 – High school students which include FFA and 4-H members who show market cattle receive their training and certification in Beef Quality Assurance, in cooperation with Nebraska Extension.
March 2 – Five students represent NCTA at the 2016 Governor’s Agriculture Conference for Youth in Kearney. One student serves in a panel discussion.
March 2-3 – NCTA hosts an information and outreach display at the Governor’s Ag Conference.
March 7 – 2016 Discovery Day at NCTA is a great opportunity for incoming freshmen, transfer students and others to visit campus. High school students, families, guidance counselors are invited to visit with faculty, see the dormitories, classrooms and explore academic majors. To register, see http://ncta.unl.edu/campus-culture.
Our high school interactions include dual curriculum coursework providing college credit as students take specific high school classes. Also, we have signed Memorandum of Agreements to provide workforce development with several high schools, targeting programs in diversified agriculture, agriculture mechanics and agricultural chemical application.
Two fulltime college recruiters are on the road, traveling to high schools for presentations, college fairs and meetings with prospective students. I appreciate the excellent outreach by Bailey Michaels and Megan Zawacki in helping to inform the public about NCTA and enroll outstanding agriculture students!
NCTA students in livestock judging, ranch horse team, rodeo team, shooting sports, agribusiness, stock dog club, and crops judging are all great ambassadors as are other clubs such as NCTA Student Senate, Women in Ag, Collegiate Cattlemen, Collegiate Farm Bureau, and Collegiate 4-H and FFA.
Weekend activities here on campus will feature a bulldogging clinic hosted by the NCTA Aggie Rodeo Team and 2-time World Champion Steer Wrestler Dean Gorsuch of Gering. Come and watch this demonstration Friday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
Stop by to visit NCTA at any time, or view the programs and clubs at ncta.unl.edu.
Upcoming NCTA Events:
March 2 – Beef Quality Assurance training, Ed Center
March 4-6 – Dean Gorsuch Bull Dogging Clinic, LTC Arena
March 7 – NCTA Discovery Day, Ed Center
March 8 – Grow Frontier County 4-H Workshop, Ed Center
March 8 – Master Gardener Webinair, Ag Hall
NCTA Mission:
The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture is devoted to a statewide mission of preparing students for successful careers in agriculture, veterinary technology, food and related industries. The college provides open access to innovative technical education resulting in associate degrees, certificates, diplomas and other credentials.