Doon Elevator

Josh Rockhill is the ag instructor at Central Lyon High School. He’s pictured here with student Emily.

I took a liking to the show industry. I showed dairy, beef, sheep and swine.” He even showed a rabbit and a chicken. “Before going to college, my brother, Danny, and I rotated 75 head of bottle calves every six weeks. I’d be nervous to know how many bottle calves I’ve fed in my life. But I’ve had enough for right now – until Kohen decides to join 4-H one day,” Josh said. He has a small number of show calves which run together with the herd at Van Roekel Cattle Co. “We have two annual sales every fall. Working with friends like them is a really cool opportunity for me, especially since farming is not my full-time career. I would say I’m a pretty good show cattle clipper, so I’m the one who gives them the haircuts and makes them look good and pretty. “Showing livestock is a passion of mine. Because I know the time and work that goes into it, I really enjoy helping my FFA kids who show livestock.” All the FFA advisers in Lyon County work hand-in-hand with the ISU Extension team to help coordinate activities at the Lyon County Fair. Josh is in charge of the beef show. In addition, Lance and BJ Van Roekel and Josh organize the Lyon County Classic Open Class Beef Show which is usually held the week before or after the fair. Ag roots run deep at Central Lyon. Josh is working with some students who are part of the fourth or even fifth generation of families involved in the local 4-H and FFA programs. “The kids thrive being part of a program where there’s a connection and relationship with their parents or grandparents.”

Serving and Growing with the Ag Industry for Over 60 Years

712-726-3215 | 712-726-3361 301 Gere Ave, Doon, IA

Kristin Rockhill is the family and consumer sciences instructor at West Lyon High School. Her culinary students are able to work with state-of-the-art, commercial-industrial kitchen appliances and equipment. Photos courtesy Kristin Rockhill. The young men at West Lyon High School enjoy the culinary class.

Josh added, “I’m very fortunate to be where I’m at. I have a lot of great parents and a lot of great community support. It’s so deep a tradition here, whether it’s our homecoming dinner or our fruit sales or helping with contests – really, anything I need, I’m able to call parents and ask for assistance.”

Josh went to Iowa Lakes Community College where he earned an associate’s degree in ag production and technology. He was inspired to pursue a degree in ag education during a summer internship as an Extension Service 4-H assistant. He transferred to South Dakota State University where he also joined the SDSU livestock judging team. After graduation, he taught ag education at George-Little Rock High School for a year before returning to the program he grew up in at Central Lyon. Just like ag education and FFA have evolved significantly in recent decades, Kristin’s chosen field has changed as much or even more dramatically. Kristin went to SDSU after high school. After college graduation, she landed the family and consumer science teaching position at West Lyon High School. The predecessor programs in her field were known as home economics and Future Homemakers of America. “When I started teaching in 2012, there were a lot of misconceptions about family and consumer sciences,” Kristin said. “Home ec” taught life skills and home-making skills. “Family and consumer sciences (FACS) still teaches life skills, but does so through employability skills. The classes I teach depend on what careers have employee shortages. If we can produce quality workers, we know those skills will transfer to everyday life.” She used the school’s Introduction To Culinary class as an example. In 2018, the West Lyon district remodeled her classroom to include commercial kitchen equipment such as a smoker, charbroiler, flat top grill, gas stove tops, gas convection ovens and microwaves. “I wanted the classroom to simulate a commercial kitchen so students considering jobs in foodservice would not be afraid of the industrial equipment. Both male and females students love the kitchen! The remodel changed my program for the best.” In addition to the physical classroom enhancements, Kristin said, “Another big change was the human services coursework. We changed the curriculum to be work-based and career-ready focused. Students get to have more hands-on opportunities working with their classmates and professionals, stressing the importance of soft skills and face-to-face interaction.”

The Introduction To Education class is work-based, focusing on human services careers and their application in education. Students spend half their course time in elementary classrooms assisting teachers with lessons. The Introduction To Human Relations course discusses families as the most important unit of society, plus discusses how people interact with others of different backgrounds and ages Food creation and preparation meets business acumen in a class creatively titled “Wildcat Chowdown.” Kristin said the focus is on making food products which will generate income and profit. The class works with the business