Public commenters at the Anne Arundel County Board of Education meeting on Dec. 17 urged the district to expand Southern High School's agricultural-education offerings to students across the county.

Gary Palmer, chair of the Anne Arundel County Soil Conservation District, said Southern hosts the county's only plant-and-animal science program and asked the board to "expand agriculture education at Southern High School by opening enrollment to students from Annapolis, South River, and Crofton." He cited county investments such as the Rock Hole Barn, a codified agricultural commission and farm grant programs as evidence of broader local support.

Several students and recent graduates echoed Palmer. Sylvia Calabrese, a senior and Maryland State Farm Bureau Ag Ambassador, said ZIP-code restrictions make Southern's CASE/FFA program inaccessible to many and asked the board to adopt open district enrollment for the program so students with interest and aptitude can participate regardless of where they live. Kevin Caton, Southern's FFA chapter president, described new classroom investments including hydroponic and aquaponic systems and said County Executive Pittman has publicly expressed support and is awaiting a plan from AACPS.

Parents and alumni framed the proposal as a question of equity and workforce development. Elizabeth Toby, who volunteers at Holiday Memories Farm, said busing students to farm-based programs "is a bridge to equity, access, and workforce readiness." Caitlin Bullock, a 2024 Southern graduate now studying agriculture education, said expanding school-based ag programming would reduce pressure on limited county 4-H capacity and create year-round supervised agriculture experiences.

Board members did not take immediate action on the requests during the meeting. Staff and members acknowledged the advocacy and noted that AACPS has already invested in facilities and partnerships that could support program expansion; Kevin Caton said the county executive is "awaiting a plan from AACPS."

Next steps: advocates asked for a clear implementation plan from district staff to the county executive and board; the district has not set a timetable or formal policy change at this meeting.