CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The agricultural science program is expanding at Gregory-Portland High School after the community voted to add multiple new facilities in Bond 2020. For teacher and Future Farmers of America advisor Jessy Ferguson, that's exactly what they hired her for.
"Since I've been here, that's what I've been focused on, and I feel like one of the main reasons they hired me was to grow the program," Ferguson said. "Because of our community support, we're able to get those facilities and grow even more. The saying goes, 'Build it and they will come.' We're building the facilities, kids will fill it."
One of these kids is Gregory-Portland FFA president Elizabeth Sides. The soon-to-be senior will graduate by the time the new classrooms, a greenhouse, and project center are built. But she said that FFA helped her get out of her shell and opened her up to a wide range of possibilities after high school.
"FFA isn't just farmers, or isn't just people in the agricultural industry by itself," Sides shared. "It's also public speakers and learning how to communicate with people and communicate your ideas, and being able to be a part of something."
With a new project center to house animals that students can show at competitions, they will have a place to raise those animals in a community where that can be a challenge.
"Portland is more of an urban, suburban area and you can't exactly raise a steer in your backyard," Ferguson explained. "So, they need somewhere to be able to put that."
When it comes to continuing the expansion of the FFA program at her school, Sides told 3NEWS this is exactly what needed to happen.
"People will be able to see the opportunities that you'll get to have through FFA, just out in our backyard," Sides said. "There will actually be facilities where you can contribute to the agriculture industry and learn about it in full."
Ferguson said that contractors have been secured for the new facilities and construction is planned to start this summer. They expect the expansion to be complete and ready for use in about 12 to 18 months.
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