WORKSHOP DRAWS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO IOWA LAKES

Around 125 high school students involved in agricultural classes participated in the annual Soil Judging Workshop held at the college Thursday, Sept. 20.

Students from 14 area high schools were given a written exam and then sent out into the fields.  The written exam covered soil types, ‘parent’ material, soil make up, slope affects, soil horizons and soil classes.  Out in the fields, students were asked to identify soil types and class of land, slope and evaluate potential drainage problems.

The students are evaluated individually.  After the two exams are given, students are then encouraged to return to the soil pits where judges review each of the pits and offer their evaluation of the soil.  This allows students to gain experience for future contests.

Scholarships of $500 were awarded to each high school sending students to the workshop.  The scholarships are given by the Institutional Advancement office of the college and can be awarded to any soil clinic participant who attends Iowa Lakes Community College.

Schools attending included:  Algona, Emmetsburg, Estherville Lincoln Central, Graettinger, Harris Lake Park, Laurens-Marathon, North Kossuth, Okoboji, Rock Valley, Sentral of Fenton, Sioux Central, South O’Brien, West Bend Mallard and West Lyon.

Students evaluate their next soil pit during the Soil Judging Workshop
held at the Iowa Lakes Community College Farm Laboratory
west of Emmetsburg.