Minuteman Students Earn Medals At Future Farmers Convention

In photo, Minuteman student Will McPhee won a third place medal at the recent Future Farmers of America Convention. Photo courtesy Sarah Ard.

By Judy Bass

STURBRIDGE – Three students from Minuteman High School in Lexington earned awards recently at the 89th Future Farmers of America (FFA) Convention at the Sturbridge Host Hotel.

Rouaa Alwaz, of Watertown, and Nadi Khadka, of Arlington, won 1st Place in the category of Environmental and Natural Resources Systems.

Will McPhee, of Winchester, won 3rd Place in the category of Plant Systems.

The other Minuteman students who competed were Drew Humberstone (Needham), John O'Keefe (Stow), Elizabeth Linarte (Watertown), Leilani Schulting (Belmont), and Evan Nardone (Wakefield).

Five of the Minuteman students - Will, Nadi, Rouaa, Jack and Elizabeth - are eligible to submit their projects at the 92nd National FFA Convention in October in Indianapolis, according to Minuteman’s FFA Advisor / Horticulture and Plant Science teacher Sarah Ard.

FFA defines its mission as “helping its members to develop their own unique talents and explore their interests in a broad range of agricultural career pathways,” according to the organization’s web site.

“Students who participate in FFA get a chance to showcase their passion for agriculture through real-life projects,” said Ms. Ard. “They also get to connect with other students around the state who share a similar passion for agriculture.”

Anyone interested in applying to Minuteman High School is urged to act promptly. Applications for admission are coming in quickly due to the high level of public interest in high quality career and technical education that will be operating in the new Minuteman High School currently under construction. Please visit www.minuteman.org and go to the Admissions tab on the home page.

Minuteman is five months away from moving into a $145M facility that has been designed to support a robust college and career academy model. The academy model was adopted by staff and administration to create smaller “schools within a school” thereby promoting more personalized learning founded upon close relationships between students and teachers. The Minuteman college and career academy model integrates rigorous academics with relevant technical programming in occupational areas providing individual economic opportunity. The new facility will accommodate project-based learning across disciplines, requiring students to learn how to work on a diverse team, solve problems and think critically. These are essential 21st-century skills that students practice and apply in a variety of school-based and work-based environments.

As an accredited member of the New England Association of Schools & Colleges (NEASC), Minuteman inspires all students to attain their full potential, accelerate their learning, and become purposeful citizens in the global community.