Nicole Popelka from Republic County High School Awarded Kansas Agriculture Skills and Competencies Certificate

Nicole Popelka from Republic County High School has been awarded the Kansas Department of Agriculture's Kansas Agriculture Skills and Competencies Certificate.

Students awarded the certificate have completed requirements in the areas of classroom instruction, supervised agricultural experience (SAE) and FFA.  They have demonstrated excellence in agricultural knowledge, career readiness and leadership development.  Students must also maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher in all school courses to earn the certification.

"The criteria to achieve these certificates represents more than just one specific exam, event, or activity on a single day but a culmination of successful involvement and achievement in multiple activities over four years of high school," said John Clark, the agriculture education teacher at Buhler High School.  "These students who earned these certificates should be proud of this high honor, which is only accomplished by students who are very well-rounded in a variety of requirements."

KDA is committed to establishing a dynamic and well-equipped workforce that meets the diverse needs of the agriculture industry today.  "Growth in Kansas agriculture will depend on a strong workforce, so we need skilled young people like these to support the future of the industry," said Russ Plaschka, KDA marketing director.  "These certificates show they have developed critical skills that will help them in their future careers, whether they end up on dairies, ranches, farms, agribusinesses, research labs, or in the variety of other employment opportunities in agriculture."

The Kansas Agriculture Skills and Competencies Certificates meet the requirement for industry-recognized certifications earned by students in high school.  Industry-recognized certifications are one of three ways that schools can increase the success rate for their postsecondary progress on their annual report card from the Kansas State Department of Education.

The certificate has been endorsed by several industry organizations and employers, including the FFA Foundation, Kansas Farm Bureau, Kansas Grain & Feed Association and Kansas Livestock Association.