Students Become the Teacher During an Adventure in Agriculture

It’s not every day that MUSD high school students with a Career Technical Education (CTE) pathway have the opportunity to function as a teacher. But during San Joaquin County Office of Education’s annual AgVenture exhibition, local high schoolers from Future Farmers of America (FFA) and Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) programs rose to the occasion to educate elementary students about the vast field of agriculture.

This long-standing, county-sponsored agriculture and nutrition education event teaches 3rd grade students about the booming local agricultural industry along with healthy eating and exercise practices. AgVenture is hosted at Manteca Unified’s school farm for all South County students including Manteca, Ripon, Escalon and Tracy Unified School Districts, and involves representatives from the San Joaquin County Office of Education, high school students in the CTE pathway, teachers and chaperones.

This year, 1,707 third graders from Manteca Unified attended AgVenture, with 129 MUSD high school students helping to present demonstrations and ensure the day ran smoothly. The hands-on event featured over 95 vendor booths and more than a dozen live animal displays. The event coordinated the efforts of nearly 330 volunteers, many of whom are agricultural experts and professionals. In total, over 50 sponsors donated funding and/or efforts to the exhibition.

Alongside professional vendors, current and former FFA students were key players throughout the day, giving presentations on topics such as locally grown crops, nutrition, machinery, water and soil, and farm animals. It’s this experience that truly makes the event a full circle moment for students.

Elementary students who have a passion for animals often enter the FFA pathway once they reach high school, and through events like AgVenture, they then get to pass the torch of passion to younger students. By teaching kids about the complexities and benefits of farm life, FFA students get to demonstrate the extensive knowledge and training accumulated through their chosen pathway.

For Isayah Gonzalez, an FFA member and sophomore at Manteca High School, educating younger students about the ins and outs of the agricultural field is one of the most enriching aspects of being a member of Future Farmers of America.

“One of the greatest parts of FFA is not only learning more about animals but getting to teach little kids about animals and make them more interested in them. It helps them because it expands their knowledge about the role of agriculture in our daily lives, and it helps me realize how much I’ve learned in my program and makes me feel like I’m now a mentor.”

Simrat Thind, a sophomore from Sierra High School and second year FCCLA member, also stressed the importance of high school students participating in events like AgVenture, which help educate younger elementary schoolers.

“Not only do little kids get to have fun and learn about animals, life cycles, and what happens in the daily lives of farmers and agricultural workers, but teenagers get the opportunity to showcase our knowledge and skill sets – we get to be teachers for them. As a second-year member of FCCLA who is participating in AgVenture for the first time, I feel like I got a lot from participating because it really gave me the opportunity to make a difference in the lives and education of younger students.”