Once built, the Harmony Middle School facility will include space for animal housing and care, plant science, feed and equipment storage, and dedicated space for agricultural experiences and student projects. (Photo/Osceola County School District)
Osceola County and its school district made another investment in its original cash-cow industry, quite literally—agriculture—and they’re getting the money in to shape the lives of the next generation of Osceolans who want to work the land.
County and school officials gathered Monday morning at Harmony Middle School to break ground on a new Educational Agricultural Barn, a hands-on learning facility designed to enhance animal science and agricultural education for students in as early as sixth grade.
Once built, the facility will include space for animal housing and care, plant science, feed and equipment storage, and dedicated space for agricultural experiences and student projects.
Construction is expected to begin later this year and will help sustain and support Harmony Middle School’s agricultural education program in the long term.
Monday was very much a full-circle moment for Osceola County Commissioner Ricky Booth, who offered up the first $50,000 in county betterment funds allotted to each Commission member for projects like these that benefit families—current and future ones. Booth, raised by educators, has worked alongside his family to operate a cattle ranch, and began his public service career on the School Board.
“Taxpayers put me in a position to decide some things like this, something important to this side of town,” Booth said, while also paying homage to Harmony Middle’s agricultural science teacher, Kyndall Brown, who was just named the county’s Teacher of the Year a month ago. Brown, also a lifelong Osceolan has much the same background in livestock and agriculture.
“Fortune favors the bold, and Kyndall Brown is a bold leader. She’s been raised up right and is giving back to the community,” Booth said. “We’re going to continue to build agriculture programs in Osceola County schools, and I’m ready to partner with that for years to come.”
Booth clearly has partners in that work, and some were also in attendance at the school Monday.
District 5 School Board member Paula Bronson followed Booth and his wife Erika in that same Board seat, and she and Osceola School Superintendent Dr. Mark Shanoff both recognized Brown for the vital work to the local agricultural community she’s doing with her young students and the hands-on agriculture opportunities for students she advocated for that will take place in the new facility.
“The barn will allow students to work with small livestock as they move on to Harmony High School where more opportunities await,” she said. “This barn is a community project, with a shared vision.”
Shanoff said the project speaks to the School District’s responsibility to ensure students have access to “an anchor economy” in the county in an industry that’s changing.
“Ag isn’t what it was 50 years ago, 10 years ago. It continues to adapt and something our students need to be front and center on,” he said. “We have a lot of shifting taking place, but two economies will always be part of what we do: tourism and hospitality, and the strong agricultural roots that are here.”
And, with the new facility, Shanoff proudly noted Harmony Middle School will be “one-upping every middle school in the state” when it comes to agriculture education.
“And that’s led by our Teacher of the Year. Miss Brown has been the strongest advocate to ensure her students get the best possible ag and leadership experience,” the superintendent said. “And, this doesn’t happen without the support of local government. Commissioner Booth knows how important it is to have strong agricultural roots and have kids with strong skills in the industry. His ability to expedite and support this is something that you just don’t see from county commissioners every day. Because of (Booth’s) support, we’re able to make this a reality.”
