The Sioux Falls School District is seeing a big year for agricultural learning opportunities.
Students and staff at the CTE Academy are abuzz with anticipation as the barn expansion comes to fruition. A new greenhouse has recently been installed, and the addition of animal science and horticultural classrooms will further expand real-world, hands-on learning opportunities for any SFSD student who chooses to pursue them.
Facility expansion, however, isn’t the only area experiencing growth. The Future Farmers of America (FFA) program continues to expand year over year and recently celebrated a milestone worth noting. Summer Schmaltz, a senior from Lincoln High School, brought home the Sioux Falls School District’s first-ever state FFA championship. Schmaltz earned first place in Employment Skills, becoming the first SFSD student to win an event at the state FFA Leadership Development Event. Her background in rodeo and her experience growing up around livestock prepared her for the competition, which required participants to complete a mock job application process in the agricultural field, from résumé submission through a formal interview. Taking home first place came as a surprise. “Honestly, I was in shock. I was just excited to be up there,” Schmaltz said. “They call up the top six and then start announcing placements from sixth place up. When second place was announced and I was the only one left standing, I looked over at the other Sioux Falls CTE students and they were all yelling and jumping up and down. It was really exciting.”
Schmaltz currently serves as the Sioux Falls CTE Academy FFA chapter president and is proud of the impact she has been able to make in a short amount of time. She credits her teacher, Kimberly Martin, for setting an example of dedication and leadership. “I’m just glad to know that I did my part,” Schmaltz said. “Ms. Martin puts in a ton of work, so knowing that on the student side I could help grow this program feels great.”
Thank you to Summer and Ms. Martin for their dedication and hard work, which will continue to open doors and inspire future generations of Sioux Falls School District students interested in agricultural education.