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Cocalico School District offers an agricultural education program in conjunction with Ephrata Area School District.
The vocational-agriculture program is designed for students who are interested in pursuing a career in the field of agriculture or related occupations. Students may elect this program to begin in Grade 9 and attend Ephrata High School. Before the course selection is made, the agriculture instructors from Ephrata High School will contact the students and their parents to discuss the program and the project requirements.
Agriculture is our nation’s largest employer and Lancaster County’s largest industry. Its future depends on having the best and brightest young people become leaders in science, production, international marketing, genetics, engineering, food science, computers, horticulture, communications, veterinary science, and much more. Agriculture offers more than 200 rewarding and challenging careers–promising jobs that have plenty of opportunity for financial gain, as well as personal growth and satisfaction.
Through Agriculture Education each student will receive
hands-on experience that will lead to a promising career. Each student
will be required to carry out one project per year, which is related to
agriculture (SAE Project). There are many projects from which a student
may select (under the guidance of one of the agriculture teachers) that
no student should let this requirement stop him/her from taking the course,
regardless of where he/she lives. Projects include raising an animal,
a vegetable garden, a job related to agriculture, a wildlife project,
or a research project, just to name a few possibilities.
Each student has the opportunity to join the FFA. Through the FFA the
student learns by doing, and the possible accomplishments are only limited
by the energy put into the program. One can develop leadership abilities,
compete in various contests at the local, state, and national levels,
travel, and meet new people.