Meet the Instructor Mr. Dana Wood Email: wood.dana@anson.k12.nc.us Phone: (704)694-9301 Ext:  Education:  Work Experience:   Hobbies:  Class Descriptions: Agricultural Education Class Descriptions

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Agricultural Education

The Anson Agriscience Program, under the direction of Mr. Wood, is growing and evolving.  All Agriscience students are members of the intracurricular Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO) Anson County FFA, also known as Future Farmers of America.  FFA's mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.

AgriScience students are provided the opportunity to hone their communication and leadership skills through classroom activities. They participate in community collaborations related to our program and in the many FFA leadership events held throughout the year. These events include the Regional Rally, NC State FFA Convention and Career Expo, National FFA Convention and Career Expo, NC State FFA Leadership Camp (SLC), and the National Organization's Washington Leadership Conference (WLC).

Locally, changes have been made to the greenhouse to provide for a full nine-month cycle of hands-on education vs. the previous three-month spring plant production and sale, thus allowing the maximization of use of resources to provide for maximum educational opportunity for students in the program.  We now refer to our greenhouse as the Anson AgriScience Innovation Center or AAGIC.  Within the AAGIC we have set up the following hands-on learning systems: Aquaculture (catfish), Aquaponic (Tilapia and lettuce), horizontal and vertical Hydroponics (butter lettuce and strawberries), microgreens (various herbs), and Earthbox systems (tomatoes and broccoli).  Students oversee the care and production of all systems.

Currently, two area restaurants are purchasing lettuce from the program: Oliver's Restaurant in Wadesboro and Allen's Restaurant in Peachland.  An AHS collaboration is also taking place as Ms. Yvonne Spencer's Food's II class will be processing lettuce and overseeing the setup and maintenance of a salad bar within the teacher's lounge.

Outside, Mr. Marshall Ray's construction trades class is almost finished with the construction of an animal shelter that will serve our program as a Livestock Learning Center.  Students are looking forward to having goats or other small animal species on campus. 

And, finally, Students working with the FFA Alumni group have written and received $13,500.00 in grant funds to create our Anson AgriScience Outdoor Classroom Program that we hope will serve to promote AHS cross-campus collaborations.

AgriScience students interested in freshwater and marine biology have been staying after school to set up an aquarium lab.  Student interest is the driving force behind this new initiative; this will provide yet another hands-on learning opportunity for our students.  Hands-on, desire-driven learning is one of the best ways to teach.  The students developing this lab have shown both initiative and ownership through their willingness to stay after school to work on the lab.  Their hard work is garnering their parent's attention and support.