7/9/2008 2:07:00 PM Agricultural options abound for youth
This year’s Nebraska Agriculture Youth Council are (back row left to right): Tyler Pieper, Farnam; Sarah Knutson, Palmyra; Kasey Wagner, Winnetoon; Spencer Bolte, McCool Junction; Cody Dvorak, Stuart; David Jobman, Gothenburg; Andy Jobman, Gothenburg; Joe Holoubek, David City; Derek Jagels, Davenport; Leigh McPheeters, Gothenburg; Dana Christensen, Ruskin. Front Row: Whitney Davis, Lincoln; Nora Spath, North Bend; Kyle Clymer, David City; Joanne Kaslon, Ashton.
The Nebraska Agricultural Youth Council (NAYC) provided 75 3rd and 4th grade Lincoln Elementary students a chance to tour five farms in the Wahoo area this past spring. Students learned about the world around them and where the food they eat comes from.
By Codi Vallery
In the past 37 years, close to 4,700 youth have attended the Nebraska Agricultural Youth Institute (NAYI) held every summer at the Kauffman Center in Lincoln, Neb.
This July 13 -17, a total of 133 Nebraska youth with have a chance to learn more about agriculture and the opportunities the industry holds for them.
"The purpose of the institute is to promote agriculture to both farm and town kids," says Joe Holoubek of Davis City, Neb. who currently serves as head counselor. "We promote the opportunities in agriculture they have. There is something besides farming and ranching and some don't realize that."
Highschool junior and seniors are invited to the camp for four days of fun, socializing and ag related activities.
The Nebraska Ag Youth Council coordinates the students and activities throughout the conference. Fourteen college age individuals serve as counselors.
Group activities include a computer simulated farm management game where groups compete each other to see who can receive the biggest profits off of their virtual farm.
Keynote speakers, including the Nebraska Governor are brought in each year to give motivational speeches to kids and show how to be a leader.
Time is also spent with faculty of Nebraska's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CASNR) discussing career development and interests.
According to Holoubek, the youth get to pick two of six fields of interests in agriculture. In the morning they listen to a CASNR professional in that field and then in the afternoon go on a tour that coordinates with the topic picked.
"The kids who come to NAYI really enjoy getting to know the other kids and learning about the vast opportunities they have. Many return for their second year to reunite with friends and hone their knowledge of agriculture," says Holubek.
He himself understands as he was a delegate for two years, then served as a counselor and is now ending his time with NAYI as head counselor.
Holoubek says it was his Dad who operates a row crop farming operation who really pushed him to attend the institute. He had also heard about it from friends and decided to attend.
He says he has known he always wanted to be involved in the agricultural industry, but returning to the family farm right away wasn't in the cards. Holoubek was introduced to his other options at NAYI and will be entering his senior year of college majoring in mechanized systems management.
"My main goal is to be involved in the ag industry," says Holoubek of life after college, but he would also like to apply his degree and is looking at possibly field testing and improving farm equipment.
Many of the other counselors on the youth council are from farming backgrounds like Holoubek. They hold within them a common purpose to promote and educate others about agriculture. The summer institute is the largest event they coordinate, but they also conduct a daycare day where they visit local daycares to teach them the basics of farming and an urban youth day where fourth graders from inner cities tour farms.
"Really we try to hit all age groups and get them aware of agriculture in their state," says Holoubek.
To learn more about the Nebraska Agricultural Youth Institute visit www.agr.state.ne.us/nayi/nayi.htm. You can also contact Holoubek at agr.nayi@nebraska.gov or (402) 471-6864.
