Last week was full of adventure! From farming, the future of farming, and the future of work, the lights certainly shined bright on the youth of Eastern Kentucky. Check it out!
The future of Appalachia showcased
On Tuesday, CEDAR hosted its Future of Work in Appalachia Student Fair to showcase the future of the region!
The student fair was held to teach students about innovation and entrepreneurship. The program is targeted for K-12 students. Students can enter one of seven categories: science, math, English, literature, art, music, technology, social studies, or multimedia. Every project must connect to at least one of the seven pillars of the SOAR Blueprint.
SOAR would like to congratulate, not only the winners, but also every student who participated in the Future of Appalachia Student Fair. With you at the helm, we know the future will be bright!
AppHarvest in Menifee County
AppHarvest’s Education Foundation, in partnership with Maysville Community and Technical College (MCTC) and the Menifee County School District, officially launched a Container Farm project at Menifee County High School on May 5. The container farm complements the robust FFA (Future Farmers of America) program at Menifee County High School. In addition to the new container farm, the school district opened a new $175,000 greenhouse for students.
Launched in 2018, the container farm program demonstrates AppHarvest’s ongoing commitment to fostering interest in high-tech farming as it seeks to create America’s AgTech capital from within Appalachia. Each retrofitted shipping container serves as a hands-on agricultural classroom for students, allowing them to grow and provide fresh leafy greens to their classmates and those in need in their communities.
The container farm at Menifee County High School was made possible by a Department of Labor WORC grant by MCTC in partnership with the AppHarvest Education Foundation.
The company has previously opened container farms in Eastern Kentucky at Breathitt High School in Jackson, Shelby Valley High School in Pikeville, the Floyd County School of Innovation in Martin, and Rowan County Senior High School in Morehead, the site of the company’s flagship farm.
Stand Up Rural America Summit coming to Somerset
Somerset has been chosen to host the Stand Up Rural America Summit!
The lineup features more than 20 nationally renowned subject matter experts and successful economic development practitioners, including two leaders of companies building operations in this community — AppHarvest CEO Jonathan Webb and Horse Soldier Bourbon COO Scott Neil.
The conference will be July 26-28 at The Center for Rural Development. Registration is open and sponsorships are available. Make sure to register now!