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News
Agricultural school could open Feb.
By Susan Hundsrtmark
Expositor Staff
The agricultural school
concept for Seaforth District
High School could be up and
running by next February, says
organizer Maureen Agar.
Now called Stepping Stones,
the program has become a
semester -long co-op program,
which will be offered to urban
students outside of the Avon -
Maitland school district.
"The board gave us the okay
to work on it last spring and
we started to talk about it in
September. I'd like to have 20
students enrolled for next
February," says Agar.
The SDHS school council
has been actively working
since September on the idea,
which was first suggested
several years ago as a way to
generate more enrolment for
the school during the ongoing
threat of its closure.
In 1999, former vice
principal Rob Parr and Agar,
who is the school council's
president, began researching
the possibility of offering
agricultural courses at SDHS
in partnership with the
University of Guelph for urban
students who want to
specialize in agriculture or
veterinary science.
The idea had several
misstarts when SDHS was
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named to be studied for closure
in the fall of 1999 until the
Seaforth community won a
court challenge in the spring of
2000 against the board after it
voted to close SDHS.
The transfer of Parr to
Bluewater Secondary School
for the 1999-2000 school year
and the transfer of former
SDHS principal Jim Moore to
Bluewater for the 2000-2001
school year also slowed the
process.
Current principal Jeff
Raeburn, who is being
transferred to South Huron
Secondary School in Exeter for
the 2001-2002 school year,
joined the school council to
help organize Stepping Stones
during the current school year.
Students enrolled in the
program will get four co-op
credits for their placement on
local farms or agri-businesses.
Raeburn says the board
allowed SDHS to semester
Grades 11, 12 and OAC for the
2001-2002 school year to
allow the Stepping Stones idea
to work.
"Basically, the students (in
the program) would only come
here for one semester to gain
some practical experience to
find out what a career in
agriculture or veterinary
medicine would be like. It's
not a commitment for their
whole high school career," he
says.
He adds that students who
enjoy their co-op experience in
Seaforth could opt to enrol at
SDHS full-time.
Raeburn says he thinks
Stepping Stones would be
most attractive to students who
would have no other
opportunities to work in an
agricultural setting but are
curious about careers in
agriculture.
Agar, who grew up in a city,
says she always loved animals
and might have become a
veterinarian if she'd had access
to a program like Stepping
Stones.
"The closest you ever get to
animals in the city is dogs and
cats. This is a chance for city
people to experience farm
life," she says.
Agar says agricultural
colleges and the University of
Guelph are discovering
recently that there are three
jobs in Ontario for every one
of their graduates.
"The number of jobs in
agriculture far outweighs the
number of students graduating
from ag schools. Agriculture is
the third largest industry in
Ontario," says Agar.
A letter that was recently
sent out to local businesses in
Huron County has already
generated two or three
companies interested in
participating in the program,
says Agar.
"We're still working on how
it's going to run and finding
placements for the co-ops. The
billets are also in the works,"
she says.
Students will be billeted at
local farms while participating
in the program.
Agar says she hopes to
attract international students to
Stepping Stones. On an
agricultural chat line she visits
on the internet, Agar says she's
received some interest in the
program from places such as
Brazil and Japan.
"The potential is quite
explosive," she says.
However. the program must
still jump a few hurdles hclbre
it begins.
Agar says the school hoard
must still approve a marketing
and business plan for Stepping
Stones, which she plans to
present to trustees some time
in June.
"They could put the hammer
down tomorrow." she says of
the need for trustee support.
As well. Agar sees the first
semester's enrolment as being
"the hardest part."
"The biggest thing will he
advertising to get the word out.
It could take a while to get it
built up." she says.
So far, the school board has
not offered any money to the
Stepping'Stones project. which
will need some funding to print
and distribute brochures and
posters.
"We don't know if we'll
need a financial commitment
from the board yet." says
Raebum.
Despite the fact that he's
being transferred. Raeburn
says he's excited about the
Stepping Stones project. He'll
be replaced by Jim Moore.
who is returning to SDHS atter
a year at Bluewater and was
supportive of the program
when he_was last at SDHS.
"I'm hoping the program
will be a big success." says
Raebum.
He says the Stepping Stones
organizers are not letting the
recent accommodation study
by a London consultant. which
again suggests closing SDHS.
slow them down.
"We're going to focus on the
positive and push ahead." he
says.
Janelle Murray places second
It wasn't the culmination of
a true fairy tale, but a second -
place finish at the provincial
public speaking event is still
the stuff dreams are made.
Janelle Murray, of RR 5
Seaforth, finished second at
the Royal Canadian Legion
provincial junior public
speaking competition in
Kapuskasing May 5.
The daughter of Mark and
Joan Murray had qualified for
the competition by winning at
the Legion branch, zone,
district and area levels.
"Words can't describe how
wonderful it was," said
Katherine Mabb, Mitchell
Legion, branch 128, youth
education chair, who attended
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the event with her husband
Ted and the Marrays.
"Janelle finished second in
the province (four competed at
the provincials) and that's
really no disgrace," Mabb
added. "We're really proud of
her."
Janelle's parents said the trip
was well worth it, not only to
hear their daughter's speech,
but all the other competitors
from every classification.
The entourage headed north
early on May 4 in a
motorhome, arriving in
Kapuskasing late that
afternoon for a little
sightseeing. The competition
was the following day. May 5.
before they headed home early
the next morning, arriving
home Sunday evening.
Mabb said the Legion is
very proud of her
accomplishment and wish to
thank her and her family for
all their support and
dedication.
By Andy Bader
Staffa couple return
after Australian adventure
Whether it's Africa,
Australia or New Zealand, the
Daynards feel at home while
travelling abroad.
Robin and Joan, who live
just east of Staffa, have
recently returned home from
an 11 -month trip across
Australia and New Zealand
which totaled 147,000 -
kilometres.
The Daynards, who also
have a son and daughter-in-
law in Australia (under
different circumstances), said
it wasn't a hard decision to
leave for the Land Down
Under.
"It was a good excuse to
go," said Joan simply.
The Daynards are
experienced travellers and
have visited Australia on a
previous occasion, back in the
1970s, said Robin. He added
that they have many friends
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there, and being outdoor types.
the trip was only natural.
He added that -being nature
lovers, it's not possible to
appreciate the beauty of the
land by aiplane, so they rented
a Land Rover (and by doing
that committed themselves to
a long drive), and set out
across country.
"If you have the wheels, you
might as well stay a while." he
said.
The couple planned their
trip to correspond with the
seasonal changes (opposite
from Canada) to best optimize
their driving times and what
parts of the country they
wanted to see.
"It really worked out well."
said Joan.
Asked whether the main,
paved road was good to travel
on, Robin laughed and said,
"We tried to stay off it."
Adding to their sense of
adventure, the two travellers
headed into the outback as
much as possible.
In many cases with respect
to the Australian outback, you
may not see another person or
vehicle for weeks at a time.
said Robin, who added there
was one man v ho told them
he was isolated sometimes for
three or four months of the
year, because of the outback's
notorious climate.
"It's a tough country," said
Robin.
But Joan also said that with
some good planning (like
enough diesel, tools and food).
a trip like this was completely
worthwhile.
"When you're travelling,
you realize just how little you
really need," she said.
The couple met many
Australians who offered them
accommodations and
hospitality along the way.
"It's one of the safest places
in the world," said Robin.
adding that perusing a dream
of travelling Ilia state of mind.
"If you want to do it (travel)
then organize yourself so you
can do it."
By Chris Coljurllr