As a senior at East High School in Kansas City, Alfonso Luna has taken many traditional high school courses: algebra, biology, history and literature. But his course load has also included Ag Science I and II, floriculture and landscaping.
Luna is one of about 175 students — around 20% of the student body — in East High’s unique urban agriculture program.
It’s the only program of its kind in a Missouri public school, says Andrew Killen, an agriculture teacher at East High School.
Through hands-on learning in greenhouses and orchards, chicken coops, pastures and more on the campus, students can study a wide assortment of agricultural topics. Among the classes are animal science, plant science, natural resources, and water management.
Located in the heart of Kansas City near 20th St. and Van Brunt Boulevard, East High School became an agriculture magnet school in the 1980s. But that program had mostly died out when Killen was tasked with re-launching it in 2017 — first as an after-school club, run in partnership with Lincoln University.
But with more courses added each year, urban agriculture has become a full part of the school’s curriculum offerings.
“I've never really been exposed to any agriculture stuff till I moved to this school almost a year ago, and ever since I've been exposed here, I really liked it,” senior Mya Reynolds told KCUR’s Up To Date. “It’s more hands-on.”
“I grew up around this stuff, but it's weird to be learning about the stuff in a school setting,” said senior Dale Stockton.
Some students participate in paid summer internships and can even earn industry-recognized credentials within some classes that could help them get jobs in the field.
But even if students don’t go on to work in the industry, teachers say that the experience gives students a confidence that other classes don’t.
“We know that the experiences they have inside the classroom will make them more prepared to be global citizens,” Killen said.
- Andrew Killen, agriculture teacher at East High School
- Aaron Kick, agriculture teacher at East High School
- Sheryl Palmieri, agriculture teacher at East High School
- Alfonso Luna, student
- Mya Reynolds, student
- Dale Stockton, student
