Agriculture/FFA

SOME FFA STUDENTS FROM THE PAST...

Kenna McMurray Kesler recently graduated as valedictorian of the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences at Utah State University. Kesler studied a dual major of Agricultural Communications (BS) and Journalism (BS) with a minor in Marketing and an emphasis in public relations. She is currently seeking a masters degree in Agricultural Extension Education from USU.
Kesler, a 2013 FFA graduate of Moapa Valley High School, gained her love of advocating for agriculture from her high school Ag class and summer employment at the MVHS Laboratory Farm. She represented Nevada FFA in the 2013 National Convention as a prepared public speaking contestant. Kenna has since gone on and used the skills she gained there in her employment with the Utah Farm Bureau Federation, Salt Lake County 4-H Extension, and as an undergraduate researcher. She has also worked as a freelance writer for various agricultural publications such as the California Cattlemen's Association and the Utah Cattlemen's Association, as well as having work published in various other academic journals.

Brynne McMurray is not going into Ag, but she is using the skills she learned in Ag to put herself through college, even though she is currently on a mission. She studied and competed in floriculture all four years and placed 2nd and 6th at the state level during her junior and senior years. Brynne also worked in the greenhouse at the Ag farm all four years, which gave her extensive experience in horticulture. With her floriculture and horticulture experience she was able to get a job in the floral industry to help her earn money to pay for college. She was also able to get a full four year scholarship to Utah State University, in part due to her ag-related activities and leadership. She is currently serving a mission in Florida, where she has had the opportunity to help out in the livestock industry several times, and has been accepted into the art program and the graphic design program at Utah State University. She anticipates graduating in 2021.

Shiley Blackwell graduated from MVHS in 2015. She attributes her success in her higher education and in the workforce to the skills she was able to acquire in the FFA program. She worked for three years as a floral designer because of her participation in the FFA floriculture program. She was able to apply for and obtain, from a highly competitive application process, a summer internship at the American Quarter Horse Association. She knows that the leadership skills she was able to learn being in FFA helped her acquire this position. She is currently the Vice President of her college DECA association. Shiley is able to lead and plan activities because of her training in leadership and organization she learned in FFA. Her greatest assets that she acquired from high school were from participating in the FFA and Ag programs at school, and the amazing mentorship from Mr. and Mrs. O'Toole.

Jen Gardner- I am currently the agriculture teacher and FFA advisor at Maple Mountain High School in Spanish Fork, UT. The reason I am where I am today, came from the love of agriculture I learned throughout my years in the agricultural education program at Moapa Valley High School and the summers I spent working on the school farm.
I was the definition of a non-traditional ag student. I did not grow up with agriculture being a part of my life. I am not from a farm, nor did my family have any animals or crops. My only exposure to agriculture came from MVHS and I was hooked.
Because of the MVHS ag program and school farm, I was able to learn the importance of agriculture in our everyday lives. I was able to learn about production agriculture by working on the school farm. I was able to learn how to work hard, and to gain a good work ethic. I was able to learn responsibility of caring for life, by learning to raise pigs, to show at livestock shows, with the support of my ag teacher.
As an Ag educator I know first hand, how many students learn better by doing something hands on, opposed to just being taught inside the classroom. One small example is how I learned how to prune a fruit tree at the school farm. Mr. Wolfley didn't just tell me how to prune a tree. He gave me sheers and I did it, over and over until I truly knew how to do it. That skill is something I have been able to use multiple times in my life. That example is just one of many and barely scratches the surface of the hands on knowledge and skills I learned. A teacher can teach an idea over and over, until they are blue in the face, but I don't believe we truly can understand without the experience.
I feel so lucky and grateful that I was given such an unique opportunity to learn and work on the school farm. The experiences I received, would have never happened anywhere else. Having a running farm in Clark County is so special and I am extremely grateful for the opportunities and knowledge that came along with the farm.
The passion I gained for agriculture that started while I was at MVHS on the school farm, has shaped my life. It influenced what I decided to study during college. I was able to graduate with an Agricultural Education degree from Utah State University. After graduation I was able to get a job teaching agriculture at Maple Mountain High School. I get the opportunity to teach students about the importance of agriculture. I wish so much that I could give my students the same experience I was given.
Thank you to the agriculture program at Moapa Valley High School, as well as Clark County School District, for giving me life changing opportunities.

Lacey Sproul Tom is a 4-H Program Coordinator who works with youth to help them reach their full potential. She believes that by engaging her community, it will transpire to empower youth. Lacey has worked at the cooperative extension for over five years and has increased the 4-H program by over 100%. Lacey is a certified 4-H shooting sports instructor who has helped open up a variety of 4-H programs to the youth in Northeast Clark County.
Lacey holds two Associates of Arts degrees from the College of Southern Nevada in Special Education and Early Childhood Education, while currently working on her Bachelor of Arts in Social Science from Great Basin College.

Bailey Kesl attended many leadership workshops and competed in public speaking competitions during her four years of FFA at Moapa Valley High School. She applied many attributes of the FFA into her life. She is attending college majoring in political science. She serves on the campaign committee for Mr. Cresent Hardy's bid for US Congress. Her future goal is to own her own floral business.

Jalea Blasingame is a sophomore at Otero Junior College in Colorado. She is a member of the rodeo team and competes in goat tying, breakaway roping, and team roping. Jalea also has a scholarship to play volleyball for the Rattler's. She is a Sports Medicine and English major. Jalea said that competing in the Veterinary Medicine Career Development Event (CDE) in FFA helped confidence to her administer shots to her horse...(a task she used to depend on her Dad to do). The FFA Horse Evaluation CDE has helped her judge performance horses to determine if they will perform as well as intended.