DANVILLE – Can a recent graduate of East Knox High School find happiness as the vocational agriculture teacher at archrival Danville High School?
For Rebecca McCarty, the answer is yes, yes, yes.
“I have had a lot of fun teaching this first year here at Danville,” said McCarty, a member of the East Knox Class of 2017. “The students and staff have been great. I think we can accomplish a lot.”
McCarty’s diplomatic skills shined during Devil-Dog Week in October, the countdown for the annual football game between her alma mater, the purple-clad East Knox Bulldogs, and the Blue Devils of her employing district.
“I sprayed half of my hair blue and the other half purple,” she said, laughing.
McCarty’s easy-going personality and sense of humor belie her seriousness of purpose as she works to elevate vocational agriculture, including Danville’s Future Farmers of America chapter. Earlier, superintendent Jason Snively described her as having “lots of ambition to build the program.”
After leaving East Knox, McCarty studied for two years at Ohio State University’s Agricultural Technical Institute at Wooster, then completed her final two years at the OSU main campus in Columbus to earn her degree in agriscience education.
While in college, she worked on a dairy farm in Wooster.
“Growing up, I always wanted to be a teacher,” McCarty said. “There are math teachers in my family. I thought they might try to steer me to math, but that just isn’t me. I have always loved agriculture.”
The 30 students at Danville who are enrolled in vocational agriculture automatically are FFA members. There are six seniors, two juniors, 18 sophomores and four freshmen.
Depending on grade level, classroom study reflects a broad spectrum, ranging from animal and plant science to correct livestock injection procedures, whether subcutaneous, intramuscular or intravenous. McCarty’s lesson plans are augmented by her focus on expanding the scope of the FFA chapter.
FFA is one of the three components of agriculture education. The others are classroom/shop instruction and a supervised agriculture experience, such as preparing and showing livestock at the county fair.
“Our FFA activities have been limited this year because of conflicts with sports and students’ work schedules,” McCarty said. “We handed out candy in town during trick-or-treat. Senior Connie Powell and junior Sophie Snively participated in the FFA State Leadership Night at Utica High School in November.
“We have seven students interested in forming an FFA trap shooting team and we’re hoping to participate in spring competitions at Riverview and West Holmes high schools. We’re also hoping to have a petting zoo at the elementary school after state testing is over in the spring.”
For now, her seniors are completing their capstone shop projects. Some will be put to immediate use; others will be exhibited at the fair.
“Everything we do in shop is related to real-world skills needed in agriculture – construction, repair, welding,” McCarty said. “The seniors also built scenery for drama department productions.”
The seniors are moving forward with post-graduation plans.
Alenah Boeshart, president of the Danville chapter of the FFA, will attend OSU’s Agricultural Technical Institute at Wooster.
“I want to earn a degree in crop management and soil conservation and work on our family grain farm,” she said.
Keaura Shilling, chapter secretary, wants to become a veterinarian.
“I plan to study animal science or take pre-veterinary courses,” she said. “I will attend Capital University for four years, then enroll in OSU’s veterinary school.”
Connie Powell is enrolled at Mount Vernon Nazarene University, where she will study to become a speech therapist.
Keon Phillips and Isiah Moore plan careers in real estate, while Wyatt Weckesser, chapter chaplain, will pursue a welding certification and a career in the building trades.
Other chapter officers include Sophie Snively, vice president; Broegan Staats, treasurer; Catlin Ball, reporter; Bryer Boeshart, sentinel; Alayna Wittel, historian, and Will Smith, parliamentarian.
“I’m excited about our FFA plans,” McCarty said. “We’re going to work hard to grow our chapter.”
Danville Local Schools is a client district of the Knox Educational Service Center in Mount Vernon. Knox ESC develops, implements and operates cooperative, shared educational services for Danville, as well as for the Centerburg, Clear Fork Valley, East Knox, Fredericktown and Mount Vernon City school districts.
