Heyworth Junior/Senior High School awarded for its agriculture program

HEYWORTH (25News Now) - Heyworth Junior/Senior High School‘s agriculture program was recognized by the Illinois Association of Vocational Agriculture Teachers as outstanding.

The program received the IAVAT Outstanding Middle/Secondary Agriculture Education Program Award for Illinois. The award recognizes the school’s program as one of the most innovative and rigorous in the state and reflects its achievements and growth in the last five years.

The agriculture department serves more than 160 eighth through 12th graders, with nearly 40% of the student body actively taking agriculture classes.

The number of students involved in the program has jumped 43% in the past five years.

Ag Teacher and Program Leader Kara Barling said it’s important to offer these classes in a rural town like Heyworth.

“Being in Illinois, where agriculture is one of the top industries in our state, it’s really important,” Barling said. “Not only are they learning about the food industry and natural resources, but they’re also getting the opportunity for leadership and exploring different types of careers.”

Students can choose from 7 ag classes, getting extra experience and insight from local farmers and around 10 local businesses.

In the past 20 years, more than 30 Heyworth students have earned state or American FFA degrees, with 12 students winning state and national honors.

“We’re providing career readiness for those students,” Barling said. “They are going to go out into the industry and be the next generation of ag industry leaders.”

Junior student Jolee Maharas said her family is involved in agriculture, and the classes at Heyworth have inspired her to seek a career in the industry.

“I’m either going to do something with crops or animals in the future,” Maharas said. “These classes are helping me kind of figure out the area I want to pursue.”

Another junior student, Emma Quinton, said the classes are fun, engaging, and have helped her understand more about the world.

“Ag involves like everything in our everyday life, like the food you eat and the car you drive. Everything comes down to the agriculture industry,” Quinton said. “Being in an ag class, you learn how our world works, and you learn about a lot of different industries and that there are a lot of different opportunities to grow.”

Next year, the high school will begin offering dual credit ag economics and horticulture classes through Heartland Community College.

Later this year, the ag program will represent Illinois in the National Association of Agricultural Educators Region IV competition.

You can watch 25News - any newscast, anywhere - streaming LIVE on 25NewsNow.com, our 25News mobile app, and on our WEEK 25News SmartTV streaming app. Learn more about how you can get connected to 25News streaming live news here.