Warsaw Community High School

Warsaw, IN- On February 19, several Warsaw Community High School (WCHS) students participated in the Agriculture Breakfast hosted by The Watershed Foundation. The event brought together farmers, landowners and community members to learn more about how soil management practices impact water quality in our region.

 

Keynote speakers included Dr. Jerry Sweeten, former professor at Manchester University, and Kris Green with the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Dr. Sweeten shared the history and impact of low head dams. These dams were originally built to power grain mills, but today they can create safety hazards and negatively affect local ecosystems. 

 

Dr. Sweeten’s consulting organization works with communities to remove these structures and collect research on the benefits. Removing dams can improve wildlife habitats, fishing opportunities, and overall safety. He also discussed how excess nutrients from fertilizer can impact water quality and shared ways farmers and landowners can reduce runoff.

 

Kris Green followed with hands-on demonstrations that showed how different land practices affect soil health and water quality. Practices like cover crops and no-till farming help keep soil on the land where it belongs. They also improve farm production while reducing pollution in nearby waterways.

 

The Watershed Foundation invited members of the WCHS Environmental Club to participate, along with freshman Barrett Hodorek. Barrett recently earned second place at the National Civics Bee with a project focused on clean water initiatives.

 

After the keynote presentations, the students helped facilitate discussions at their tables. This gave them the opportunity to talk directly with farmers and landowners about real environmental challenges and solutions. 

 

The event also provided a chance for students to build leadership skills while connecting what they learn in the classroom to real-world issues. After the program concluded, students had an additional opportunity to sit down with Dr. Sweeten for a small group conversation.

 

“We were so excited to have students who are passionate about the environment attend this powerful event,” said Mariah Roberts, Watershed Manager at The Watershed Foundation. “Sometimes solving difficult problems sounds easy in the classroom, but finding real-world solutions can be more challenging. I’m thankful that WCS students not only had the opportunity to interact with farmers and landowners who face these challenges, but also served our organization by participating as table moderators.”

 

Students who attended the breakfast said the experience gave them a deeper understanding of the issues being discussed. Sophomore Tom Gloyeski said he wanted to participate because he was interested in learning more about aquatics and soil science. “I got a much better overview of how our lakes and streams react with human activity, specifically how dams and runoff affect local bodies of water,” Gloyeski said. “My favorite part of the experience was the private talks with Dr. Sweeten. He was very informative and I enjoyed hearing what he had to say.”

 

Senior Preston Park said he joined the event to hear new perspectives. “I gained a new appreciation for the work The Watershed Foundation is doing,” Park said. “My favorite part of the day was being able to speak with the speakers one on one. It was hard to start conversations at first, but it was interesting to meet new people.”

 

Junior Kevin Gough said the opportunity to connect with farmers was especially meaningful. “I was excited to network with farmers and others who are using the practices we’ve learned about in real-world applications,” Gough said. “Talking in small groups was very rewarding. My group made me feel comfortable sharing my ideas, and I learned a lot from their insights.”

 

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Photo Provided (left to right): Alayna Alexander, Addison Garcia, Kevin Gough, Emily Gough, Tom Gloyeski (he's a sophomore), Yonathan Cruz, Preston Park, Melinda Sweeten, Jerry Sweeten at the Agriculture Breakfast

 

Photo Provided: Junior Kevin Gough facilitating discussion with his table