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Monte Hogan talks about supporting Meridian Agriculture
MACON – The long-anticipated agriculture facility at Meridian High School is finally underway.
Four years ago, the Meridian Ag Foundation was formed by Pete Pistorius and Duane Noland with the aim of raising $1 million, to cover the construction of an ag education building plus equipment. This month, the school district broke ground for that new building, which is expected to be completed by March. More than 300 donors gave to the project, Pistorius said, and every donation was important, from the smallest to the largest, in reaching the goal.
A large crowd was on hand to witness the groundbreaking for new agriculture building at Meridian High School.
“We're very thankful for the support and patience that we have received for this project that will benefit the Meridian students for many, many generations to come,” said Superintendent Andy Pygott.
The 60 by 100 foot building will be next to Meridian High School in Macon, and will include a machine shop, welding, classrooms and restrooms. A 30 by 60 foot greenhouse will sit next to it and will be named the Roberta K. Gorden Greenhouse in honor of one of the first and most generous donors to the project, whose family has farmed in the area south of Blue Mound since 1860.
Meridian Agriculture teacher Jerry Brockett, left, and Roberta Gorden dig in the dirt during the groundbreaking for new agriculture building at Meridian High School.
“Farming has just been my lifestyle and it's the area, and it's like I told the kids, (ag careers is) not just riding a tractor out in the field,” Gorden said. “There's ADM, Tate & Lyle, Monsanto that's now Bayer, it's all agriculture.”
Roberta Gorden talks about supporting Meridian
The Meridian school board voted five years ago to revive the ag education program and hired Jerry Brockett right out of college to teach the classes. Without its own building, the program has been making do with a classroom in the main high school and has grown from 30 students the first year to more than 80 this year, and of those, 60 have joined FFA, Brockett said.
“It's been a rough couple of years (due to COVID),” Brockett said. “But I wouldn't have stuck around if I didn't think it was worth it. The people here are worth it. Thanks to the Ag Foundation and the students, they keep me going, with all the support from all these individuals. One day my first year I asked for eggs, next day there were like 14 dozen on my desk. They're very supportive when I need things.”
Senior Wyatt Wilcox, a student in the ag program and a member of FFA, built an outdoor classroom as his Eagle Scout project thanks to advice from Brockett. While the outdoor classroom was built with the ag program in mind, it's also available to any teacher at Meridian and has already been used by a couple of them, Wyatt said. It includes a chalkboard enclosed in a treated wood cabinet and several heavy treated wood benches, with mulch below to keep the ground dry. The whole thing was designed to be low-maintenance.
Blue Mound's Wyatt Wilcox completed his Eagle Scout outdoor classroom project at Meridian High-Junior High school. It includes a chalkboard enclosed in a treated wood cabinet and several heavy treated wood benches, with mulch below to keep the ground dry.
“Our entire school can use this outdoor classroom now,” Wyatt said. “And it can be used by the whole community, if wanted. It can be used by anyone in the Meridian community.”
Wyatt Wilcox talks about his Eagle Scout outdoor classroom project
Wyatt will be 18 in October and will have his Eagle ceremony in a few weeks, after the project has been reviewed and accepted by the Boy Scouts. A Scout must complete the requirements for Eagle rank prior to his or her 18th birthday, but the ceremony can take place after the birthday.
Meridian High School FFA members take their turn breaking ground for the schools new agriculture building.
Pygott said the district will plan an event to show off the new ag center once it's completed in the spring.
JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Teacher Wes Wise, front right, and his students point out details for State Director of Agriculture John Sullivan, far left, while providing him a tour of the new Okaw Valley High School Agriculture Complex. More photos at herald-review.com
JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Principal Matt Shoaff walks with State Director of Agriculture John Sullivan, right, at the start of Sullivan’s tour of the new Okaw Valley High School Agriculture Complex. More photos at herald-review.com
JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW State Director of Agriculture John Sullivan, back left, talks with students while looking at the animal holding facility during his tour of the new Okaw Valley High School Agriculture Complex. More photos at herald-review.com
JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Student Ciera Perry interacts with a pig in the animal holding facility at the new Okaw Valley High School Agriculture Complex. More photos at herald-review.com
JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Principal Matt Shoaff, teacher Wes Wise and high school students provide a tour of the new Okaw Valley Agriculture Complex for State Director of Agriculture John Sullivan Monday April 6, 2019.
JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Students interact with pigs in the animal holding facility at the new Okaw Valley High School Agriculture Complex.
JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Principal Matt Shoaff, teacher Wes Wise and high school students provide a tour of the new Okaw Valley Agriculture Complex for State Director of Agriculture John Sullivan Monday April 6, 2019.
JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW The animal holding facility is pictured at the new Okaw Valley High School Agriculture Complex.
JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Principal Matt Shoaff, teacher Wes Wise and high school students provide a tour of the new Okaw Valley Agriculture Complex for State Director of Agriculture John Sullivan Monday April 6, 2019.
JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Principal Matt Shoaff, teacher Wes Wise and high school students provide a tour of the new Okaw Valley Agriculture Complex for State Director of Agriculture John Sullivan Monday April 6, 2019.
JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Principal Matt Shoaff, teacher Wes Wise and high school students provide a tour of the new Okaw Valley Agriculture Complex for State Director of Agriculture John Sullivan Monday April 6, 2019.
JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Principal Matt Shoaff, teacher Wes Wise and high school students provide a tour of the new Okaw Valley Agriculture Complex for State Director of Agriculture John Sullivan Monday April 6, 2019.
JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Students interact with pigs in the animal holding facility at the new Okaw Valley High School Agriculture Complex.
JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Principal Matt Shoaff, teacher Wes Wise and high school students provide a tour of the new Okaw Valley Agriculture Complex for State Director of Agriculture John Sullivan Monday April 6, 2019.
JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Principal Matt Shoaff, teacher Wes Wise and high school students provide a tour of the new Okaw Valley Agriculture Complex for State Director of Agriculture John Sullivan Monday April 6, 2019.
JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Students interact with pigs in the animal holding facility at the new Okaw Valley High School Agriculture Complex.
JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW Principal Matt Shoaff, teacher Wes Wise and high school students provide a tour of the new Okaw Valley Agriculture Complex for State Director of Agriculture John Sullivan Monday April 6, 2019.
Contact Valerie Wells at (217) 421-7982. Follow her on Twitter: @modgirlreporter
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Meridian High School's proposed ag building is $50,000 closer to its funding goal of $1 million.
At the moment, the only visible evidence of the upcoming agriculture building at Meridian High School is an empty space and a sign.
MACON – The agriculture industry has changed dramatically in the last few decades.
Meridian High School FFA members take their turn breaking ground for the schools new agriculture building.
Blue Mound's Wyatt Wilcox completed his Eagle Scout outdoor classroom project at Meridian High-Junior High school. It includes a chalkboard enclosed in a treated wood cabinet and several heavy treated wood benches, with mulch below to keep the ground dry.
Meridian Agriculture teacher Jerry Brockett, left, and Roberta Gorden dig in the dirt during the groundbreaking for new agriculture building at Meridian High School.
A large crowd was on hand to witness the groundbreaking for new agriculture building at Meridian High School.
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