April 28, 2001      Photos Below

By Jennifer Simon, 

I graduated for Tulelake High School in 1990. When I graduated everyone
pretty much knew that I was destined for some sort of career in Agriculture.
I thought that future was in the Business side, while others felt that it
should be in the education side. Since 1990 I have been in and out of
college and that Bachelors degree has been a little elusive. Currently I am
a senior at California State University Chico in the Ag Business Program and
plan to enter the credentialing program to become a teacher. To supplement
my income and provide money for college I raise baby calves and sell them.
Raising calves seems to be my one passion in life.

A few weeks ago, our college was holding a teacher career fair and I
decided that I would go in order to get a feel for what kind of jobs would
be available for an Agriculture Teacher. As I made my way through the
school districts I was very disheartened by the response that I had
received. The response from most of the larger school districts in
California was at times a slight laugh as they told me to pick a different
major. It seems like some school districts are eliminating their high
school agriculture programs. The large school districts don't think there
is a future in agriculture.

Of course their response saddened me for a while. Am I changing my
major? NO. As the rest of you I believe that the future of our country
relies on the farmers and ranchers who raise our food as well as those who
help to maintain our way of life. These people include our educators,
financers and anyone else in a supporting role of the farmers. I have
suffered my own misfortunes due to this water situation. I was about to
begin my own cowherd and had 2 heifers that were going to be the start of
that project. They were recently sold because of the foreseeable shortages
of hay.

My message is that I, like the rest of you, am in this ride wherever
it takes us. I am not prepared to give up on agriculture, and especially
agriculture in my home.

Jennifer Simon
CSU Chico Agriculture Student
Future Educator

2 Photos