2022 Grant Recipient $3884:  Rita Yager Memorial Ag Grant Fund ($1400)/Rush County Ag Fund ($365.37)/Rush County Education Fund ($503.94)/Rush to Action Fund ($1400)

Submitted by: Shantel Cartwright, 8th Grade Benjamin Rush Middle School FACS (Family and Consumer Science) Teacher

On October 13th, 2022, the BRMS 8th grade participated in a Career Day and Farm2Table experience with great success. Students spent an entire day in their community exploring opportunities, careers, and local products. Their day started at the RCHS Agriscience Building & Kenneth Brashaber FFA Leadership Center. Each of the 165 students were able to learn about six subjects taught in the local ag courses including small motors, landscapes design, greenhouse projects, and welding. Students walked to RCHS’s Laughlin Center to learn about the life, education, and careers from ten local professionals. The locals included Mayor Pavey, Police Chief Tucker, Fire Chief Justice, RCHS Dean Mendoza, Bart Fraley of Fraley Implements, Brad Starr of Top Choice Produce, Jordan Watson of American Family Insurance, Mark Koehne of Beacon Ag Credit Union, Kaci Bennett of Union Savings and Loan Association, and Mary Frances Friedle of Rush Memorial Hospital. Each guest spoke about their educational and career experiences, and why they live and/or work in the Rush County area. Students were then divided into two groups for their next adventure of the day.

One group departed for their Farm2Table luncheon at the home of local cater Lori Hoeing. Mrs. Hoeing has a successful catering business with a commercial kitchen and banquet facility on the Hoeing homestead. She prepared a meal made with locally raised and grown products including Indiana pork, Arnold Farm potatoes, Souder corn, New Point Berry Farm blackberries, her own apples, and Flatrock Creamery milk, and more. Mrs. Hoeing and her staff served students a beautiful meal that many said was the best school lunch they ever had.

The second group departed for the Princess Theatre. The 8th graders watched part of the documentary series Now Entering Rushville. The movie includes many Rush County storytellers as they talk about Rush County’s rich history and heritage. These storytellers include the following: Mike Pavey (Riverside Park); Eleanor and Barbara Arnold Harcourt (Arnold Farm); Joe Rathz (Princess Theater); Brian Sheehan (Stellar Designation); Becky Webb (Kennedy Covered Bridges); Bill Stahl (Pioneer Engineers Club); Sergeant Major Robert “Bob” Brown; John Wilson (Equine Industry); Julie Newhouse (East Hill Cemetery); Ken Brashaber and Hannah McGee (Vocational Agriculture); Ruth Lynne Durbin Walsh and David Durbin (Durbin Hotel). The film includes a segment about the local FFA. Students were served Indiana grown, Orville Redenbacher popcorn and a beverage.

These groups then traded places so all 165 – 8th grade students were able to take part in both activities.

Students then returned to BRMS gym to end their day with Purdue Polytechnic, Richmond staff. Purdue’s staff introduced students to Purdue, and facilitated a hands-on activity to get them thinking about engineering. The Purdue staff gave away many prizes, while getting students excited about their futures.

While our event was a great success in many ways, our main goal was to let students know and understand the many opportunities that Rush County has to offer them. And to let them know they are wanted and needed to help make Rush County continue to be a successful community. This day would not have been possible without the financial support of the Rush County Community Foundation (RCCF) grants. Our project was funded with four RCCF grants – Rush County Community Educational Grant, Rita Yager Memorial Grant, Community Based Action Plan Grant, and the Rush County Ag Fund Grant. We also found financial support from Beacon Ag Credit Union, Union Savings & Loan Association, and Jordan Watson, agent at American Family Insurance. I would like to personally thank each person that gave to our event and helped our BRMS 8th Grade class.