Reynoldsburg teacher Dr. Patricia Hanna did an externship last summer at The Ohio State University’s Waterman Agriculture and Natural Resources Laboratory. The Bioeconomía y Soja (Bioeconomics & Soy) unit introduces advanced-level Spanish students to the essential process of soybean cultivation, the importance of soybean cultivation on a state, national, and global scale for human consumption, livestock consumption, and biofuel, and the STEM-based challenges facing soybean production in key Latin-American countries that growing soybeans as a means of growing their local economies and entering the global market.
After completing the unit, Hanna took her students on a tour of Waterman Farms and the Agricultural Engineering department at OSU. Here are some comments:
“The unit was a huge success!! Not only in the classroom, but also outside of it as we were able to see farming for as modern and advanced as it is when we toured Waterman Farms and the Agricultural Engineering Department at OSU. I believe perspectives are what keeps the mind churning and evolving, and this was definitely a perspective to be had. From the unique apple orchard to the highly advanced technologies used to farm soybeans, the unit and the field trip gave me a whole new idea of what faming is and what it is going to be.” – Trenton, Senior Spanish IV Student
“The Bioeconomía y Soja unit introduced me to farming and STEM problems it is facing. Prior to the unit, I’d never really studied farming before. The unit helped me think about supply and demand of bio-products such as soybeans, and complicated issues such as importing and exporting of soybeans to meet the global demand for them.” – Siinboon, Sophomore Spanish IV Student
“It was cool how things are changing—during the field trip to Waterman Farms I was surprised to learn that robots and other advanced technologies are playing a growing role in farming. I had never studied farming or soybeans before the Bioeconomía y Soja unit, and learning about the global importance of soy and some of the challenges associated with growing it really interested me. The field trip also exposed me to job opportunities in Agricultural Engineering that I had never heard of before, and since participating in the field trip I have plans to shadow some Agricultural Engineers as I continue exploring possible careers for my future.” – Macy, Sophomore Spanish IV Student
More externships will be offered this summer at Waterman Farms, as well as several other locations. For more information, contact us.
