SAE projects stand for Supervised Agricultural Experiences. They can count as many different activities such as jobs, gardening, helping on a farm or ag business, mowing lawns, raising animals and more. A SAE program is a planned, practical activity that helps a student develop skills, competencies and experience in a career area of the student’s choice.
Experiences can range from short-term ones such as the job shadowing of a person in a career field the student is interested in to a sequential four-year project in which the student develops his or her own business.
SAE projects help students interested and engaged in agricultural activities more than in the classroom. Not only does this project meet FFA requirements, it also helps the student achieve confidence in themselves, learn and take on responsibilities, achieve goals they never thought they could, and create great human beings. These projects teach so much more to these students than just how to do a certain agricultural activity. These projects help guide students to an activity that may guide them to a lifelong hobby or career.
Hillsboro FFA members have actively completed a variety of SAE projects over the summer and throughout the school year. Members work and volunteer at local businesses as well as raise their own plants and animals.
Zachary Carter has been doing lawn care with Pohlman Lawncare for two years now. “I have learned a lot about the proper ways to care for a lawn and hope to be able to use this information the rest of my life,” Carter said.
Submitted by Erin Hedges, Hillsboro FFA.
