The Agricultural Academy at Cordova High School, in its sixth year, focuses on career readiness within the agriculture industry. Learning about agriculture is not all that the students get from joining Future Farmers of America and being part of the Academy. “I don’t think people understand how much of a bond you create with the people you’re with,” said sophomore Agnes Budge. “It’s an amazing experience.”

This year and last students have been raising animals to show and sell at the Sacramento County Fair. Four students are raising goats this year: Agnes Budge, 15, McKenzie Emery, 17, Tabitha Hoyt, 18, and Faith Lipanovich, 17. The goats are a special challenge, said the students, since they seem to have minds of their own and very definite opinions.

Agnes joined FFA and entered the Agricultural Academy as a freshman. Last year she raised and sold a meat rabbit.

McKenzie Emery is a senior, and hopes eventually to go into agricultural law. “Without agriculture we wouldn’t be able to eat, and especially California agriculture, it’s so, so important,” McKenzie said.

Tabitha Hoyt is a senior, and not sure of her post-graduation activities, but plans to work while she considers the possibilities. “I love animals,” Tabitha said. “I just like being around them, handling them.”

Faith Lipanovich, 17, will attend Folsom Lake College in the fall and is aiming toward a degree in zoology. “I want to get a general degree with animals, so that I have the ability to work in any field involving animals,” Faith said. She is also into roller derby.

Those who are raising rabbits this year are: Kimberly Griffin, 16, Nick Haro, 15, Kaitlyn Hoyt, 15, and Chris Nelson, 17.

The Agricultural Academy has two teachers. Bret Harnden, who started the program in 2011, is the lead. He grew up in Shingle Springs and earned his degree in animal science and education at Chico State University. Though the Academy started out with just 35 students its first year, now it serves 300. “We have enough students that we could have a third teacher at this point,” Harnden said. “For the past couple of years we’ve had enough students where we’re actually turning kids away.”

Teacher Jennifer Rossiter earned a biology degree from Sacramento State University and recently attained a Master’s degree in agriculture education. As a youngster she bred and sold swine on her parents’ farm in Lincoln. Though the program includes considerable classroom work, it is about more than classroom learning. “(The students) learn responsibility, they learn time management, they learn how to budget and take care of other animals,” Rossiter said.

The opportunity to succeed in the program helps the students to see their own value. “That’s kind of a validation,” Harnden said. “They say, ‘This is cool; I could be somebody, I can do something.’”