Waynesboro Education Farm Educator Ryan Blosser introduced himself to Kate Collins Middle School students behind Berkeley Glenn Elementary School Friday morning with a special guest in the audience.
School board members and staff gathered to meet Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Lisa Coons as students responded to Blosser’s question of “Who’s farm is this?”
“Our farm!”
The Waynesboro Education Farm not only provides produce for members of the Waynesboro community, but education for students to learn and understand where food comes from.
Waynesboro Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeff Cassell said that agriculture was added as a workforce pathway to the school system’s high school courses two years ago to spread “the joy of gardening and being outside if you don’t want to work in” the industry.
“What’s been great about this project is we’ve had a combination of local funding but also the Extended School Year funding we were awarded,” Assistant Superintendent Dr. Ryan Barber said.
Before a tour of the farm, Coons read to students in a Berkeley Glenn classroom.
After Berkeley Glenn Elementary, Coons visited Waynesboro Schools’ STEP Learning Lab for adults with special needs. Students were learning about payday and how to pay bills and balance a budget.
She visited Waynesboro Schools’ Career & Technical Education, where students learn about digital and media, culinary, child development and much more. An EMT course will begin in fall 2024.
Related stories:
Harvest time: Kate Collins Middle’s student-run market open Thursday afternoons – Augusta Free Press