By Hannah Field
Agriculture teacher Andy VonCannon’s Environmental and Natural Resources class pan for gold. Photo by Adriana Barnes
The far corner of Brevard High School is not a place that should be overlooked by visitors. A rare activity takes place there on a daily basis: hands on learning. Andy VonCannon and Dan Harris’ agriculture and natural studies classes, along with many other career-technical education classes, frequently practice experiential learning.
Senior Hank Smith said that his Environmental and Natural Resources II class, taught by VonCannon, gets outside of the classroom to do some form of hands-on learning an average of three times a week. Smith found the class, and its hands-on approach, incredibly beneficial because he wants to go into wildlife biology as a career.
One of their projects was learning to pan for gold. They began in Nicholson Creek after ordering the equipment online and learning the basics in their classroom. They learned that gold is usually found in higher watershed areas, so they planned to go to a creek in Pisgah National Forest after developing their skills.
The project began during a unit on soil and minerals. One of the students came up with the idea, and they researched it and asked Scott Elliott, head of curriculum and instruction at the 9-12 level for Transylvania Schools, if they could spend time panning for gold. VonCannon said that their gold project had been great because “I don’t have to do a lot to get them motivated. They’re excited, they’re interested.”
Harris’ classes also frequently get out of the classroom to practice what they have learned. They have gotten hands-on experience looking after a group of rabbits, as well as other animals, in the school barn. One of the most significant experiences for freshman Maggie Jones was watching the birth of a calf.
One of their most recent projects is building a fence for teacher assistant Jerry
Agriculture teacher Dan Harris’ classes build a fence for assistant teacher Jerry Fletcher. Photo by Adriana Barnes
Fletcher who plans to buy cows and pigs to put on his land. Two of Harris’ classes are working on the fence. Harris said that building the fence was a win-win situation, because it is a learning experience for the students, it helps out a staff member, and Fletcher donated an implement for one of the trucks used by the agriculture department in return.
Freshman Abby Seavey, who is in Harris’ third period Agriculture Science I class, said the class has helped her learn how to build certain things. “I might want to build my own fence one day, and I will be able to,” she said.
Freshman Kristian Owen, who is also in Harris’ third period said, “Being out here doing hands on work helps me learn. It has given me a really good education, and I prefer hands on all the way.”
Both staff and students heavily emphasized the benefits of a intensely hands-on curriculum. “Experiential learning is the highest form,” said VonCannon. Seavey said, “It’s much better than sitting in a classroom. Out here you’re actually learning.”