CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Gregory-Portland High School students are starting the school year with a new agricultural science building to use.
The facility is almost 22,000 square feet and cost $9.6 million to build. It was funded entirely by Bonds 2020 and 2023.
G-P ISD's AgriScience Facility is used by kids who want to be in Future Farmers of America, or FFA, and raise animals. However, other students can also use it to take classes there.
It is a significant upgrade from teaching everything in only a classroom setting, according to G-P Agricultural Science Teacher Jessy Ferguson.
"Coming from the classroom to this now is a huge change," Ferguson said. "The best adjustment that we could've made."
The AgriScience Facility includes a main building, project center and greenhouse. Ferguson said there are three classrooms, an agricultural mechanics shop, a floral design lab and a multipurpose lab.
The first round of animals came last weekend, according to school officials.
G-P High School sophomore Brody Seay, who is in his second year with Gregory-Portland FFA, said he takes care of a heifer in the facility's barn every day.
"It's been a big dream of mine to be showing here, I've been wanting to show since I can remember," Seay said. "I'm just glad I finally have the opportunity to do it."
Paige Hawks, also in G-P FFA for two years, grew up in Houston and is currently raising a goat. She said she used to rescue animals when she was little and talked about the skills she is learning thanks to the new facility.
"You learn to take care of animals," Hawks said. "You learn responsibility, and when you get older, if you want to do jobs that involve animals, you have the experience."
As a junior FFA member for about a year, East Cliff Elementary School fifth grader Avery Owen is raising three lambs. She explained how the new facility helps her do it.
"It makes it easier, cause I know they're safe," Owen said.
She said she is excited to join FFA in high school and keep using the facility.
Ferguson said interest in the G-P agricultural program increased significantly over time. She had 48 kids in all her classes in the 2019-20 school year. It is now about 200-300 kids.
There is also a new truck and trailer that can help transport animals raised at the facility to shows. She said she is thankful to the Gregory-Portland community for making it all happen.
"All of this was only made possible due to their support, and this is huge for, not only us, but for all of the students in this region," Ferguson said.
The barn is expected to be filled close to capacity within the next year, according to school officials. Planting in the greenhouse is planned to begin in late September.