FFA Honduras Study Abroad

By: Ellyse Shafer

Bellville, OH

AgriScience Education
Freshman

This summer I had the opportunity to travel to Honduras on a week-long adventure with Ohio FFA and the Ohio State University. While we were there, we toured three different schools that had agricultural programs. The schools we visited include: El Sembrador School, Manuel Bonilla, and the Choluteca Vocational School. I enjoyed observing the varying differences between the three facilities. El Sembrador School is a boarding school where wealthier families can send their sons to go to classes and learn hands-on at the school’s working farm. At Manuel Bonilla, the children attend regular classes such as history, math, and writing until their last year where they are taught agriculture. The Choluteca Vocational School focused more on developing hands-on skills so each student can specialize in one trade and then enter the workforce.

Our focus in Honduras was to take our knowledge in agriculture and implement ideas and practices in a hands-on fashion alongside the students. Although the Hondurans believed we were making an impact on their lives, perhaps they were leaving a bigger impact on ours. Experiencing the Honduran culture was an incredible, eye-opening experience that I will continue to look back upon my whole life. Entering my first year here at Ohio State, I was not confident in my choice of major. After traveling to Honduras and experiencing the diversity in agriculture education, I now know I have made the right choice for my future.

I am so thankful that Ohio FFA, World Gospel Missions, and Dr. Cano and Mr. Agner took the risk to put together the first ever international study abroad experience for high school FFA members. I believe that this experience will be beneficial to me later on in the classroom. I highly recommend taking advantage of any of the study abroad trips here at OSU.

Ohio State nav bar

Leave a Reply Cancel reply