Preparing for college can be a very stressful time for students, so many start planning their future early. Recently, junior Jalyn Engleking went on a trip that would help her now in Paoli, but the trip also included a scholarship, which will help her in the future.
On January 10, Engleking traveled to the National 4-H Center in Chevy Chase, Maryland. She was joined by three other people: 4-H Extension Agent Abby Heidenreich, Springs Valley student Reed Tarr and homeschooled student Bella Cassidy. Engleking is the first person from Paoli High School to have received this honor.
“Jalyn was selected based on the fact that she is a very well-rounded student who possesses the characteristics of a true leader. She has intelligence, poise and communication skills that can affect great change today and in future generations. Our hope is that she will continue to develop those skills by attending training sessions, like the one in Washington, D.C., to better position herself for a successful future and use those talents to make the world a better place for everyone,” said agriculture teacher Cory Scott.
While on the trip, Engleking got to attend many workshops and events. The workshops were The Science of GMOs, How to Graft Tomatoes, The Magic of Digestion, Senses with Chocolate, AgTanks and The Smelly Side of Animal Production.
In The Science of GMOs, Engleking learned how GMOs are produced and the good things they are used for, such as insulin and different medical purposes. She plans to use what she learned at this workshop to tell people that not all GMOs are bad, and many people use GMOs in everyday things.
In the How to Graft Tomatoes workshop, Engleking learned how and why people graft tomatoes and other plants. Grafting is when a plant is placed in the trunk or stem of another living plant, which is where it receives sap to grow. She plans on using this information to grow tomatoes here at PHS to produce a bigger, better tomato plant.
While at The Magic of Digestion workshop, Engleking learned about different parts of animals and their processes of digestion.
The Senses with Chocolate workshop taught her about how smell affects taste and how the brain can trick someone into thinking something is a certain flavor based on its color.
In the AgTanks workshop she attended, Engleking learned about advertising and how certain advertisements influence people to buy a product.
While at The Smelly Side of Animal Production workshop, Engleking learned about animal waste management and how to dispose of it without polluting waterways.
“We went to an AGsploration Activity, where we learned about the different products that come from different plants and animals. We also went to a Real Colors activity, where we found out what our color was based on our personality, after taking a personality quiz. Then, you got to work with other people that were the same color and learn how to work with other people that were different colors,” said Engleking.
Engleking plans on using her experience and knowledge to help advance our high school’s agriculture department into a better place for our students and community.
Story by Michael Hannon
