Agriculture Power and Machinery Class

Bullitt Plasma is a business within a school that provides so many authentic opportunities for learning, with a focus on incorporating S.T.E.M. principles. Students are excited and proud of the projects they are completing. I am excited because students are facing new challenges that require them to use their problem solving skills. They are learning employability skills. They have to be dependent on each other in order to complete a task and how important a good work ethic is. We are also able to incorporate multiple disciplines from across our school curriculum. We had students create examples of ordering forms and collaborated with our tech person, Christie Turbeville, to make the final design. The process starts with the customer first placing an order using the website linked on the order form. Then our agriculture students can then view the order and make the initial design. Once we get the customers final approval we cut the project out. In most cases, that project then travels down to our art department who is then responsible for painting it and applying the final touches. Our business department is able to create a real-life marketing plan and sell our projects within their store. It is a work in progress and will still have work to do in making this all work smoothly. That is what makes it challenging but also so fun as a teacher. I am learning right along with those students. The students recognize that we are not only creating products but also building important collaborative relationships along the way.

Student Quotes:

"Working with a CNC machine is a super cool unique experience. It is important for students to know about all the different opportunities inside the agriculture department. When I first thought about agriculture I didn't think about working with computer software and machines. Now it has become a big part of my pathway." -- Hannah Huffman