YHS Ag gets second award in two years

Lacey Rees/Sierra Star

For the second year in a row, the Yosemite High School Agriculture Department, with Steve Ecklund as its instructor, has been awarded the Program of the Year Award for the East Fresno-Madera section.

The recipient of the award is decided by ag teachers from 12 schools throughout Fresno and Madera counties. It is based on student involvement, growth and success at the local, sectional, regional, state and national level. Yosemite has been determined the top in those areas.

A list of accomplishments of the YHS Agriculture Department for the past year shows why the award was given to Yosemite and its Future Farmers of America participants for whom Mr. Ecklund is the advisor.

Yosemite had champion project animals at both the Madera and Chowchilla fairs. Student teams placed first in both the sectional public speaking contests and the banking sectional contest. In addition, it placed first in individual at the sectional banking contest and the individual at the sectional public speaking level.

Mr. Ecklund says the banking contest, which Yosemite has won for three consecutive years, “tests a student’s knowledge of the Federal Land Bank System and all financial tasks that a typical loan officer would be expected to utilize. Those tasks include calculating net return on investment, compound interest rates, investment yields, financial and income statements and taxes.”

Although less than 3% of students enrolled in agriculture programs earn the State Degrees, Yosemite averages closer to 7.5%.

About 2% of Yosemite ag students (one to two students each year) achieve the American Degree annually, while typically less than one-half of 1% of those in the program elsewhere earn it.

“This particular degree proves that while in school, a student earned a minimum of $7,500 with their individual projects,” Mr. Ecklund explains.

The department has shown leadership at the local, sectional, regional and state levels as well as curriculum development.

The students involve themselves in the community, such as in helping with the Oakhurst Community Park, the community Christmas tree lighting ceremony, Showcase of Schools, and the petting zoo at Heritage Days.