At Paoli Jr. & Sr. High School, the most dedicated students aren't always the ones you see first. Often, they’re the ones working in the school’s onsite barn.
Now in its 11th year, Paoli Jr. and Sr. High’s agriculture program has transformed from a modest classroom elective, into a high-tech, multi-disciplinary powerhouse. With a livestock barn, a bustling hydroponics lab and a formal veterinary assistant pathway, the program provides hands-on experience to nearly 185 students — roughly 95% of whom do not have the space to raise animals at home.
Building a Foundation
The program's crown jewel is its on-property livestock barn. While many grants cover equipment, they rarely support brick and mortar structures. To bridge the gap, the local community — supported by partners like Farm Credit Mid-America and Rural 1st — raised more than $212,000 in just eight months, completing the barn in 2018.
"The school got in a bind and local veterinarian, Dr. Bill McDonald, pushed us to raise the money ourselves. That’s where it started," said Cory Scott, an agriculture teacher now in his 26th year at Paoli.
Following Dr. McDonald’s passing, his family and a national network of veterinarians contributed $70,000 to ensure the vision was realized. Today, the barn serves as a co-op where students share responsibilities and labor to care for the livestock.
Beyond School Walls
The program’s growth is measured in more than just square footage. Under the guidance of Cory and fellow teacher Samantha Goss, students can now earn a veterinary assisting certification, putting them a year ahead of their peers in post-secondary vet tech or nursing programs.
"One thing people overlook is the social dynamic," Cory said. "You’ll get football players and basketball players who don’t know what to do and the farm kids take the lead. It’s a neat part of it."
For students like junior Joe McDonald, the grandson of the late Dr. McDonald, the program is a family legacy. "I’ve gone back and forth between wanting to be a vet and pursuing ag business," Joe shared. "It makes me happy to have this at school.
Conservation in the Classroom and Community
Innovation extends beyond the barn and into the greenhouse, where a hydroponics unit, a soil-free method of growing plants using nutrient-rich water, produces 40 to 50 pounds of lettuce weekly for the school cafeteria.
"Each round is 200 heads of lettuce," Samantha said. "It’s a steady return. It pays for itself and the cafeteria helps support it to keep it going."
The program also generates revenue through a diverse line of pork products—including sausage, bacon and roasts—sold to the local community and area restaurants.
High-Tech Agriculture
Technology has also found a home in the barn. Each student’s pen is equipped with a camera, allowing them to monitor their pigs 24/7 via a "pig app." This is especially critical during farrowing season, when students rotate remote shifts to watch for new arrivals. As the program and educators look toward the future, the focus remains on retention and real-world readiness.
"Interest has grown, but the biggest change is improved retention," Rebecca said. "Kids stay involved for four to six years, instead of dropping out after one." Moving through it’s 11th year, the agriculture program has moved beyond simple instruction. It is now a community engine where students grow the food they eat, manage the businesses they learn from and earn the certifications that will define their careers.
Learn more about the Rural 1st Community Investment Program and the many ways we’re partnering with organizations like Paoli Jr. and Sr. High School to develop future rural leaders.
