Students harvest the lettuce and herbs they grew as part of their FFA classes at LHNE.

When you have a passion, you want to share it with others. A passion for agriculture and education has led over 300 individuals, corporations and foundations to donate toward an agriculture and science addition at Lutheran High Northeast (LHNE) located on the northwest edge of Norfolk, Nebraska.

The “Growing the Future, Rooted in Him Capital Campaign” includes a 10,000 square-foot agriculture classroom, shop, storage area and restrooms, as well as a 2,200 square-foot science classroom and laboratory.

When looking at the needs of students now and into the future, LHNE discovered that vocational, hands-on classes were most desired by its families. So the high school took action and initiated an agricultural education program and FFA Chapter in 2020.

Construction at Lutheran High Northeast for the agricultural education workshop and classroom, as well as the science addition, should be completed by the start of the spring semester so students can use the facilities in January 2023.

Space limitations caused agriculture classes to be taught in a classroom shared with the chemistry teacher. Ag projects such as vermiculture or planting potato bags were conducted in the least used hall in the school building.

The expansion will provide space for seemingly unlimited projects once it is complete for the spring semester beginning January 2023.

LHNE ag instructor and FFA advisor Dr. Amanda Hafer has been as busy as the construction crew to prepare. A veterinarian by trade, she recently trained in welding, small engines and other ag-related courses to expose LHNE students to a wider variety of skills.

The addition includes a room for veterinary practice and an adjacent room for horticulture and aquaculture. In the spacious open shop, students can practice building construction in an area with a dust collector, table saw and router. With access outside via a large overhead door, someone could bring a tractor inside the shop to work on, said Hafer.

Along one wall, there will be six welding stations. Each welding bay will have an individual ventilation hood, in addition to one mobile hood with an arm to welding anywhere in the shop.

“The survey showed welding was most wanted by far,” said Hafer. “We can start teaching MIG, TIG, SMAW and oxy-acetylene welding this spring.”

Hafer often invites speakers into the classroom and takes students on field trips to see the true working conditions within agricultural occupations. She understands how the passion of farmers can impact her students.

“The people I know who have been the most influential in a positive way in my faith and just loving the state are people in agriculture,” Hafer said. “If students can be exposed to more people who are farmers or ranchers or in ag, I think they will grow in their faith and learn to love Nebraska more and learn to love their vocations.”

The LHNE ag addition includes separate rooms for veterinary practice and miscellaneous agronomy projects. Six welding bays will be stationed along the north wall.

One such family from Newman Grove who love education and agriculture has been involved with LHNE from the very beginning. James and Kristi Geyer contributed toward the capital campaign as a way to fulfill a promise made by James’ father, the late Kenneth Geyer.

Kenneth was an avid collector of Chevrolet cars. His passion for Chevy snowballed into a collection of eight classic vehicles, which he and his wife Elaine enjoyed taking to parades and car shows.

“Dad had promised to give a car to Lutheran High Northeast, but it’s hard to give a car when you are actively using it,” said James Geyer. He recalled his father looking through Hemmings Motor News all winter long, thumbing through the Chevy catalog in search of cars and parts.

James Geyer inherited a 1961 two-door Chevrolet Impala, which Kenneth had purchased in 1992 from South Dakota.

After James and Kristi made a commitment to support the capital campaign at LHNE, the family decided to sell the Impala and fulfill his father’s wish.

The car sold on Big Iron Auctions on June 16 for $48,750 and went to Manhattan, Kansas. All proceeds except selling fees were donated to the capital campaign.

Geyer said that it was “hard to give up” but that it was the perfect fit since it was going toward an agricultural addition. It’s an important offering, in his eyes.

“Not everyone is intended to go to a four-year college,” Geyer said. “We need mechanics and builders. The seed for these trades can be started at Lutheran High now.”

The 1961 Chevrolet Impala donated toward the LHNE capital campaign was owned by the James and Kristi Geyer family of Newman Grove, Neb. It sold for $48,750 on Big Iron Auctions.

Geyer is speaking from his own experience. The skills he uses now as a farmer were learned on-the-job growing up on a farm and as an FFA member at Newman Grove High School.

This is the same sentiment shared by Hafer. She aims to better equip her students for the workforce or continuing education.

“Maybe students don’t want to go on and get a four-year degree, but they can get a two-year degree somewhere close or go into a vocation,” said Hafer.

LHNE students come mainly from Norfolk, but the school attracts students from Battle Creek, Columbus, Madison, Pierce, Plainview, Tilden, Wayne, Wisner and other surrounding areas. Enrollment is open to youth of all denominations and those not affiliated with a church.

Since Hafer began teaching in 2020, this will be her first year in-person and without any restrictions related to the pandemic. She is ready to share her passion for agriculture with her students.

“Our principal often says you never know the seed that you have planted and you may never see the fruit of the seed, but God knows,” Hafer said. “That’s the kind of hope we can give these students that never would have come to Lutheran High if we didn’t have an ag program to teach them about agriculture and talk about Jesus.”

Reporter Kristen Sindelar has loved agriculture her entire life, coming from a diversified farm with three generations working side-by-side in northeastern Nebraska. Reach her at Kristen.Sindelar@midwestmessenger.com.

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Reporter Kristen Sindelar has loved agriculture her entire life, coming from a diversified farm with three generations working side-by-side in northeastern Nebraska. Reach her at Kristen.Sindelar@midwestmessenger.com.

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Students harvest the lettuce and herbs they grew as part of their FFA classes at LHNE.

Construction at Lutheran High Northeast for the agricultural education workshop and classroom, as well as the science addition, should be completed by the start of the spring semester so students can use the facilities in January 2023.

The LHNE ag addition includes separate rooms for veterinary practice and miscellaneous agronomy projects. Six welding bays will be stationed along the north wall.

The 1961 Chevrolet Impala donated toward the LHNE capital campaign was owned by the James and Kristi Geyer family of Newman Grove, Neb. It sold for $48,750 on Big Iron Auctions.

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