Some Mobile County high school students are deviating from reading, writing, and arithmetic. They are learning Agriscience. Mary G. Montgomery, Bryant Career-Tech, Bryant High, Augusta Evans, and Citronelle High School, and the Continuous Learning center all have robust Agriscience programs.
Students at MGM are building planter boxes to sell to the public. They are in a construction class, where they learn the basics of building. The students are also responsible for marketing the product. Teacher Ben Ford says the students are learning skills that many of them will use as a career, and others just in everyday life.
“They help fill the orders. They help sell boxes. They build the boxes. It’s all them. I guide them, they do all the work,” Ford said.
When the students aren’t in the workshop, they are in the greenhouse. The students grow plants, flowers, and vegetables throughout the year. They start with seeds and grow everything at the school. The plants are sold to the public. While they are learning how to get their hands dirty and grow flowers, they are also learning life skills, according to teacher Emily Dent.
“Lifeskills they wouldn’t have access to, they are here at school. Why not teach them skills they need to survive and be employable?” Dent said.
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