Area students, educators participate in annual Precision Agriculture Summer Academy

Northwest in June hosted the fifth Agrivision Equipment Group Precision Agriculture Summer Academy, which gave 24 high school students and 12 agricultural educators an opportunity to work with state-of-the-art equipment and network with industry professionals in precision agriculture. (Submitted photo)

Northwest Missouri State University and Agrivision Equipment partnered again this summer to offer a three-day academy that introduced high school students and agricultural educators to the ever-changing world of precision agriculture technologies.

Now in its fifth iteration, Northwest hosted the Agrivision Equipment Group Precision Agriculture Summer Academy June 15-17. The program incorporates hands-on activities with state-of-the-art equipment and networking with industry professionals to advance the knowledge of students and agricultural educators in precision agriculture technologies. Students explore the use of global positioning systems (GPS), auto-guidance technology, precision application, remote sensing, geographic information systems and data collection and management.

Twenty-four high school students who are active members of a 4-H club or FFA chapter were selected to participate along with 12 agricultural educators from high schools where the participating students attend.

The participating students and educators are listed below with their schools.

Student participants

• Jonathan Bax, Eldon High School, Missouri
• Hayden Beccard, Lourdes Central Catholic High School, Nebraska
• Brady Burgess, Richmond High School, Missouri
• Bailey Carter, Montrose R-XIV High School, Missouri
• Brevin Coston, Clarinda High School, Iowa
• Benjamin Engemann, Hermann High School, Missouri
• Kade Hodge, South Harrison High School, Missouri
• Chantz Koelling, Hermann High School, Missouri
• Jayden Krutz, Rock Port High School, Missouri
• Carter Luke, Jefferson C-123 High School, Missouri
• Nadily Merry, Salisbury R-IV High School, Missouri
• Dylan Moore, Salisbury R-IV High School, Missouri
• Cade Myers, Southwest Valley High School, Iowa
• Owen Oesch, Southwest R-I High School, Missouri
• Thomas Perrin, Ogallala High School, Nebraska
• Noah Riley, Pleasant Hill R-3 High School, Missouri
• Bryce Roquet, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont High School, Iowa
• Lucas Schaefer, Glasgow High School, Missouri
• Zachary Schnarre, Centralia High School, Missouri
• Hunter Stockhorst, Madison C-3 High School, Missouri
• Ephraim Van Zante, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont High School, Iowa
• Kaleb Vaughn, Sturgeon High School, Missouri
• Trevor Weir, Jefferson C-123 High School, Missouri
• Payton Williams, Richmond High School, Missouri

Educator participants

• Blake Anderson, Southwest Valley High School, Iowa
• Melissa Reed-Appel, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont High School, Iowa
• Tyler Burgin, Pleasant Hill R-3 High School, Missouri
• Jackie Carlson, Jefferson C-123 High School, Missouri
• Shayla Coale, Montrose R-XIV High School, Missouri
• Emma Cutler, Clarinda High School, Iowa
• Charles Foreman, Richmond High School, Missouri
• Jeremy Palmer, Rock Port High School, Missouri
• Doug Ridder, Gasconade Co. R-1 High School, Missouri
• Scott Stone, Centralia High School, Missouri
• Samantha Strodtman, Glasgow High School, Missouri
• Katie Wantland, Madison C-3 High School, Missouri

The cost to attend the academy is free. Selected students and their high school educators receive a scholarship that covers the cost of lodging, food, materials, supplies and tuition during their participation in the summer academy.

For more information about the Agrivision Equipment Group Precision Agriculture Summer Academy, contact Northwest agricultural sciences instructors Matt Bax or Jackie Lacy at 660.562.1155 or agsciences@nwmissouri.edu.

To learn more about Northwest’s School of Agricultural Sciences, visit www.nwmissouri.edu/ag/.