Those who aren’t heavily involved with agriculture or farming cannot participate in an ag class because they’ll be bored, confused or left out.

This might sound ridiculous, but it’s a common misconception. Ag isn’t a closed community; anybody from any background can become an agriculturalist.

Agriculture not only fuels today’s world, but it’s a necessity in our everyday lives. If someone eats food, wears clothes or takes medicine, they are directly affected by agriculture.

Mr. Bryce Meyer, Powell High School’s lone ag teacher, is working to get as many kids involved in agriculture as he can. There are three ag classes available to PHS students: Introduction to Agriculture, Agriculture 2 and Advanced Agriculture.

“There’s a stigma that the ag field is made up of a bunch of farm kids, but that’s not the case,” Mr. Meyer said. “There are so many different positions and skills in agriculture. There’s really something for everyone.”

Farming and livestock are a major part of agriculture, but it’s so much more than that. In the ag classes at PHS, students learn about soil traits, welding, meat processing, animal science, money management, basic car maintenance and everything in between.

“I really enjoy the hands on work we do, as well as talking about college and future career paths we might take,” senior Ethan Mann said. “[Agriculture] prepares students for the future, not only academics wise, but it gives them basic knowledge.”

Agriculture is a broad topic, and unfortunately, everything it entails can’t be taught in four years. Although, taking all three classes won’t make any student an expert, it will give them a foundation to expand on and some unforgettable experiences.

“I really enjoyed the Intro to Ag class because we got to participate in a lot of different activities,” sophomore Allyson Visocky said. “It was also a lot of fun to learn about such a large variety of things involving ag.”