April 4, 2018 at 5:30 p.m.
Australian students visit Hauser
By Submitted by Jenna Poe-
Brad and Sam made the 22-hour flight to stay with host family Stanley and Jenna Poe of Franklin, Ind. and to visit Hauser High School.
Jenna Poe and her husband, Stanley, visited the boys' families last summer while on vacation to tour sheep farms in Australia and Tasmania.
Sam and Brad came to the U.S. to stay with the Poes on their 600-head sheep farm to learn about farming practices in the U.S.
"It's fairly a bit different from our country," Sam Johnson said. "Farmers feed more grain and lamb inside barns instead of pasture grazing and pasture lambing in Australia."
"It's also much colder here than our winter!" Brad Johnson said. "Our winter only gets to around 50 degrees for our low."
Poe brought the boys to Hauser High School one day last week to experience American high school.
While spending the evening at the Harker Farm located in Hope, FRHC students Luke and Chase Harker brought the cousins to attend an FFA meeting.
"There is not much in the way of AG youth programs in Australia," Sam Johnson said. "It would be nice to have a club such as the American FFA to promote the Agriculture industry at home."
While at Hauser, the cousins were able to shadow students in Julie Patterson's history classes, speaking to Hauser students about the similarities and differences in high school. Brad and Sam were also able to attend the animal science class of Hauser's agriculture teacher, Aleesa Dickerson, to talk to students about farming practices in Australia. Dickerson, who is planning a school trip to visit Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji in June 2016, was thrilled to give fellow Hauser students a glimpse into what they could expect to see in Australia.
On Jan. 25th, Brad and Sam headed back to Australia to share their experience with students. School starts Feb. 1st for them.
"We were thrilled to give them an American agricultural and educational experience while visiting us," Poe said.
Stanley and Jenna spoke about American sheep production at two high schools and one university while abroad last summer.
"It is amazing to experience the differences in our production practices, while being able to collaborate new initiatives in our world wide sheep industry," Poe said. "We are excited that the boys will return home to share American experiences (both agricultural and educational)."[[In-content Ad]]
