Contributed
Kiwanis Club of Elizabethtown had a packed agenda during their July meeting held at Cindy’s restaurant. Soil, water and scholarships were the topics with students from East Bladen and West Bladen High Schools.
Earl Miller, Ag teacher at East Bladen and his student, Khalil McKoy gave a presentation about the Resource Conservation Workshop and Soil and Water. McKoy was this year’s Soil and Water District Employee Association Scholarship winner.
McKoy moved from New Jersey to Bladen County and became interested in agriculture. He said, “I could tell a big difference in the air quality when I moved from the city to here. I also saw there is a big future in agriculture.”
Miller said, “Agriculture is recession proof and agriculture is the draw for Bladen County.”
Miller reported East Bladen High School was awarded a $100,000 grant to help build their agricultural animal science department. Miller said they started working on a proposal with the help from local leaders. He said “Dan Ward, a local farmer and Representative William Brisson were instrumental in helping us get the $110,000 grant from the Tobacco Trust Fund Commission.”
He continued, “We have enough to build a building. We are working to raise money to stock our building now.” The new ag building is located in the back at East Bladen High School.
Ag class builds soft skills like being on time, empathy, and attention to details for students even if they don’t want to go into the agriculture business according to Miller.
After the presentation from Miller and McKoy, Kiwanis President Jeff Futrell presented each of the four students in attendance with their scholarship check.
Madison Cierra Byrd from West Bladen said she would be in a pre-med track at UNC-Chapel Hill.
Sean Nunnery from West Bladen announced he would be attending NC State for Ag Education and teaching or working with the Wild Life Commission
As stated earlier Khalil McKoy will be seeking a degree in Agriculture. Michael Wax from East Bladen said he is already on the pre-med track in Biology at UNC.
“We had one designated for homeschool student but no one applied. We try to make sure we include everyone in the county,” Dr. Lisa Bryan said.
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