Marana Middle School agricultural science class receives grant to expand hands-on learning

MARANA, Ariz. (KGUN) — Students at Marana Middle School are getting real-world experience through an agricultural science program.

The program, being led by Debbie Knickerbocker for a third year, serves about 150 students per semester in a non-traditional classroom setting where they care for dozens of animals, including pigs, chickens, turkeys, bunnies, sheep, and horses.

"You get to work with the animals, you get to build stuff, you get to hang out, and you get to help around with this whole area and make sure everything's nice," eighth grader Jace Lewis said.

Students taking the class are also members of the school's Future Farmers of America chapter.

This opportunity is only offered at Marana Middle School and Marana High School within the district. While career and technical education classes are commonly found at high schools, they are less common in middle schools.

Teacher Debbie Knickerbocker actively applies for grants to fund hands-on learning experiences for her students. She recently received nearly $3,000 from an FFA grant, which was used for chicken coops that were assembled by the students themselves.

"I always love working with hands-on stuff,” student Noah Willett said. “I really like welding and like building wood structures and stuff.”

The program emphasizes practical skills and responsibility.

"It teaches you responsibility, it shows you what teamwork should actually be," student Ashlynn Moser said.

Knickerbocker said she is motivated to be the teacher she wishes she had when growing up.

"I could've just come in and just said 'okay, we're uh, we're just going to do this, we're going to do that – but then that's boring," Knickerbocker said.

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