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National program exposes middle, high school students to agricultural opportunities
Posted on Aug 17, 2026
Middle and high school student participants in the AgDiscovery program hosted at Fort Valley State University from July 13-17 pose with student advisers.
From July 13-17, more than 13 students attended the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s AgDiscovery program hosted at Fort Valley State University.
AgDiscovery is a summer outreach program designed to expose middle and high school students to career and educational opportunities in agriculture. FVSU is one of 10 universities across the U.S. that served as a site for the program.
During the five-day camp, students participated in several hands-on exercises ranging from veterinary science to biotechnology.
“I’m excited about AgDiscovery, and I think it’s a wonderful program,” said Terrill Hollis, FVSU’s meat plant manager and director of the 2026 AgDiscovery program. “It allows students to be engaged with all science and any other fields associated with agriculture. AgDiscovery also gives students a preview of what to expect if they decide to pursue an agricultural major.”
Naomi Williams, a native of Crestview, Florida, said she enjoyed interacting with animals during her AgDiscovery experience. “For veterinary technology, I also learned the proper techniques on how to take care of animals,” she said.
Furthermore, Williams said she would recommend to other students that they take part in the AgDiscovery program at FVSU. “The whole program is fun. You get to experiment with a lot of technology, and you have great counselors.”
Williams, a rising college freshman, plans to attend Northwest Florida State College and major in animal science.
“Overall, during my AgDiscovery experience, I enjoyed learning about the different perspectives of the world of agriculture,” said Devin Brown, a rising junior at Perry High School in Perry, Georgia. He also said he had a chance to see the scientific side of agriculture and build connections with scientists involved in the area.
“I would tell fellow students interested in attending AgDiscovery that the program is a great way to meet people while learning about an amazing field,” he said.
Additionally, the Perry native said that, if possible, he would attend the program again next year. “It is a rewarding experience to build connections and learn more about agriculture.” His future goals include going to college and majoring in agribusiness before enrolling in law school.
Hollis said FVSU will continue to participate in AgDiscovery and plans to be a host site in 2027. For more information about the program, visit bit.ly/4wjnL9b.
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