Karson Barrett and Brittany Hutchins, seniors at Strom Thurmond Career Center, were recently selected by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture and Clemson University to attend the 2013 South Carolina Commissioner’s School for Agriculture.  Barrett and Hutchins, Thurmond FFA members and students in the agriculture program at the Strom Thurmond Career Center, were selected from a group of students from across the nation to participate in the week long summer residential program held on the campus of Clemson University.

Karson and Brittany joined other rising high school juniors and seniors from across South Carolina and the nation to gather at Clemson University for the annual South Carolina Commissioner’s School for Agriculture (SCCSA).  The summer academic program was an intense, pre-college school that allowed a glimpse into the academic and career possibilities related to agriculture and natural resources.  Barrett and Hutchins spent a week experiencing scientific exploration, academic integrity, teamwork, personal growth and leadership activities.  The girls participated in a wide range of academic sessions included organic food, greenhouse production, athletic turf grass management, animal and veterinary sciences, packaging science, aquaculture, forestry, wildlife, and natural resource management.

The South Carolina Commissioner’s School for Agriculture uses a broad, interdisciplinary curriculum to aid participants, like Karson and Brittany, in exploring the dynamic opportunities, related college majors, and professional careers related to the agriculture and natural resource industries. Program participants were actively involved in exciting field and lab based experiences all week culminating in an awards presentation with the Honorable Hugh Weathers, South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture.  It was during the awards presentation that Karson Barrett was presented with the Thomas Dobbins Founders Award for exhibiting a commitment to learning and extraordinary citizenship throughout the week long school.  We are extremely proud of both girls for their dedication to not only the agriculture program at Strom Thurmond, but for their love for South Carolina Agriculture; said Darla Steele and Jeremy Brooks, agricultural education instructors at the Strom Thurmond Career Center.

For more information regarding the agriculture program at the Strom Thurmond Career Center, contact Darla Steele or Jeremy Brooks at the career center, (803) 275-1767 or visit the agriculture program website at www.stromthurmondffa.com.