Food. Clothing . Shelter. Gardens. Pets and wildlife. Medicines. Zoos and parks. When you think about it, agriculture plays huge roles in our everyday lives- even in a urban setting like Philadelphia!
Agriculture is a science-focused field involving plant sciences, animal sciences, environmental science and their interactions. The School District of Philadelphia’s Agricultural Sciences Career Cluster offers a range of agriculturally-related programs of study, all of which are based at the W.B. Saul High School of Agricultural Science.
Programs offered are:
- Applied Horticulture- Floriculture/ Greenhouse
- Applied Horticulture- Landscape Design
- Natural Resources Management
- Agricultural Production/ Animal Science
- Food Science
In addition to traditional college-prep classes, students at Saul get involved throughout the 150-acre campus -including a working dairy barn, greenhouses, horse pastures, small animal facilities and a seasonal farm stand- exploring agriculture from an experiential viewpoint.
Academically, Saul also offers a number of advanced options while students are still enrolled, including Advanced Placement courses and access to dual enrollment courses at local colleges and universities. In recent classes, approximately 80 percent of Saul seniors have matriculated on to college study immediately following graduation.
Alumni are also recruited by local employers to go directly into the workforce. While many Philadelphians do not think of agriculture as a career option, the reality is that agriculture is the #1 industry in the state of Pennsylvania and there are almost 23 million agriculturally-related jobs in America right now. During summer break, Saul students are employed by dozens of local agriculturally-related employers, including Longwood Gardens, The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, Pegasus Riding Academy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Extracurricular activities at Saul include the FFA student organization, Horse Club, and the Agricultural Business Club (just to name a few) and project teams for special events like the Philadelphia Flower Show and the Pennsylvania Farm Show. Such involvements help students build leadership and networking skills while learning about the many opportunities open to job-seekers with agricultural backgrounds . The school also fields a number of competitive athletic teams.
If you are looking for an interesting, active, unique way to study science, the environment, plants, animals or food, consider your future in agriculture. With a full college-preparatory curriculum, an emphasis on hands-on learning and amazing connections to local environmental partners, Saul High School could be your ticket to a promising future!
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