Students in the UA Cossatot agriculture program attended an FFA Alumni & Supporters Development conference in Alaska over the summer. Agriculture instructor and FFA Advisor, Kelli Harris, along with program assistant, Hadley Philamlee, traveled to Palmer, Alaska from June 20 - 24 with three students: April Klitz, Gynder Benson, and Hannah Jackson.

The conference provided information on topics such as agriculture program development, student retention, and offered an opportunity to network with other FFA alumni members from around the country. The group learned about production agriculture in Alaska, which is widely known for gigantic cabbages that can easily grow up to 50 pounds during the long daylight hours of the Alaskan growing season. They also toured a musk ox farm where they were able to see how these animals are managed for their hair, which is called qiviut, and how the fibers are used in textile production.

"This was an amazing experience for our students at UA Cossatot and we were all excited to learn more about agriculture beyond our region of the United States. Attending these conferences helps us expand our knowledge about agriculture and bring new ideas back to our college," says Kelli Harris.

The agriculture program is looking forward to planning more educational travel experiences for students this fall.

Pictured L to R: Hannah Jackson, Hadley Philamlee, April Klitz, Kelli Harris, Gynder Benson

The University of Arkansas Cossatot is a community college in Southwest Arkansas accredited by the