There’s no denying the fact that farming and agriculture are important and integral parts of life in Texas County.
Houston High School agricultural instructor Josh Roehrs has made a proposal to the school board that, if accepted, would result in the district embracing that fact even more than it does now.
Roehrs’ idea –– presented at last Tuesday’s monthly meeting –– involves the purchase of 10 to 20 acres of land for the purpose of creating a “school farm” where students would learn first-hand about many aspects of the trade.
“A large portion of the kids who come through this high school are going to go back to the farm,” Roehrs said. “I think it’s important that what we teach at this level is relevant and usable once they leave. And any time you can mix hands-on experience with classroom content, you’re looking good.”
A school farm would provide students the means to begin and maintain a “supervised agricultural experience” (SAE) or project. In his second year at HHS, Roehrs said the proposed tract (or “land lab”) would include pasture, shelter for livestock and a pond or lake that would double as a source of livestock water and aquaculture education.
“Basically, it would be like an extension of shop class. It’s the same premise,” he said. “You can’t teach welding without putting kids on a welder, and you can’t teach them how to work cattle without putting them with cows in a chute.”
Roehrs, who is also the HHS Future Farmers of America (FFA) adviser, grew up on a farm near Washington, Mo., He is a 2013 graduate of the University of Missouri, where he earned a degree in ag-education with teacher certification. Should the school farm proposal be approved, he would like it to be located near the HHS vocational-agricultural building.
“We’re hoping we can find a good deal on a usable piece of land near the school,” Roehrs said. “We also would like it to be next to more land we could potentially buy in the future for expansion.”
Houston Schools Superintendent Scott Dill said the concept isn’t new, but that this could be its time.
“This is an idea that has been discussed at the administrative level on several occasions,” Dill said. “I am pleased to see the FFA advisory council take decisive action in their stance on the issue. Knowing the project aligns with their vision for the direction of the program ensures our goals are congruent.
“The Houston R-I School District exists within a largely agricultural area, and this project seems a logical extension of district and community needs and values. The excitement in the room was palpable when the issue was discussed. This is a project that fires the imagination and is laden with exciting possibilities for our students.”
Several Missouri school districts currently have farming operations of varying sizes, including Chillicothe, West Plains and Willow Springs.
“There are several models to look at and several ways they go about it,” Roehrs said.
Texas County Fair Board chairman Darren Ice, an HHS graduate who is also a big FFA supporter and a fourth-generation farmer in the community, attended the board meeting and voiced his support for the idea.
“Agriculture is important to our community, and this is one way we could educate kids that there is a way to make a living here at home in Houston,” Ice said. “It’s also a big enough industry that they could use what they learn to go elsewhere and work, too.
“I’m pretty sure there would be plenty of people willing to help keep it going once it gets started. I also think there will be big donation for purchasing land to get it started.”
“We have to give kids viable options to stay here and to make them aware of those options,” Roehers said. “My hope is to really help kids understand there’s a lot more to agriculture than raising animals –– like the marketing and business side of things. My plan is make the school farm a viable company where kids work every aspect of making it run, from start to finish, and actually sell products that come from it.”
Roehrs has proposed several means of financing the school farm project. With help from Ice and others involved in the local agriculture community, he plans to soon host a public forum regarding the idea in hopes of generating donations from businesses, organizations and individuals.
“It’s something that will cost some money to get going,” Roehrs said, “but I think once people understand the value in it, it will be an easy sell. The meeting will give people the chance to hear about it, voice their opinions, and even offer advice. We don’t know it all, and we want to hear what people think.
“Plus, then we’ll be able to show the school board that there is support for the project.”
Dill said he believes the idea can work for Houston, and that he’ll be glad to help Roehrs, the school board and HHS principal Charlie Malam find a way to make it happen.
“It is absolutely feasible and sustainable,” he said. “This community has shown, time after time, their unwavering support for the school district. The next steps are multivariate and will take place at disparate levels of the organization. Clearly the interest in the project is there. Now we need to determine how it will impact our currently established programs both in terms of finance and instruction.”
“This is an idea that’s been in my head since I’ve been here, and at this point it’s still just an idea,” Roehrs said. “But the school board likes it and I think I have the support from the community. It’s now just a matter of getting it out there and counting heads, so to speak.”
Roehrs said he believes the school farm will continue a movement begun and nurtured by Dill and Malam.
“They have done a fantastic job of building pride back up at Houston High School,” he said. “I think increasing the relevance of all of our programs so that kids can be proud to be a part of them is a huge part of that, and I think this is something kids would be able to call their own and be very proud to of.
“And I think the more we can show them we care about what happens to them when they leave here, the more they’ll be involved while they are here.”
The Houston R-I School District exists within a largely agricultural area and this project seems a logical extension of district and community needs and values.”