SAE Student Success Story #10 - South Dakota

SAE is one of the most unique educational tools at our disposal as agriscience educators. SAEs have long standing impact on the lives of students. SAEs are not optional.

Story #10- South Dakota

I am in my 6th year of teaching and I am just now starting to see the products of my first couple batches of freshmen. I require all of my freshmen to have an SAE of some sort.  Naturally, some are more ag-based than others!  One boy in particular, as a freshmen, decided to take advantage of an Farm Service Agency loan program.  He applied for the loan and was granted the money.  With his money he bought 3 bred cows at a local sale barn.  Over the next three years of high school, he not only paid off his loan, but bought more cows, took out an additional loan to buy more cows and has paid that loan off as well.  He developed a strong interest in pedigree analysis and has worked hard to make continual improvements in his herd through AI'ing.  This student was on an IEP in high school, but because he was willing to work, he was able to place in the top 3 in the Beef Production Proficiency area in our state.  Not only that, he was able to establish a record keeping method for himself, use some of his income to pay for college, and is currently majoring in Ag Technology at a tech school in our state and plans to make a career in the cattle industry. If you would have told me when he was a freshmen, that this kid was going to be my very first proficiency finalist, a state degree recipient, etc., you could have knocked me over with a feather! I love to think of this as a prime example of working hard and achieving success.

Submitting Teacher: Ms. Sarah Lambert

SAE Theorem #8 (Moore, 2003, The Agricultural Education Magazine)

SAE should be graded. If SAE is an integral part of the agricultural education program and is required, it should be graded. Many teachers have SAE count for 10-20 percent of the grade.

You are a developing positive agent of change who will one day help students explore and grow into their unlimited potential through agricultural education!