They grow vegetables, participate in fairs: what attracts schoolchildren from the Dokshitsky district to agricultural technologies

Correspondents of "BB" visited the Parafyanovskaya secondary school of the Dokshitsky district and found out what attracts schoolchildren to the agrarian orientation group.

The products are our own

About 100 children study at Parafyanovskaya Secondary School. During electives and hours of public useful work, they study agricultural technologies, learn how to handle agricultural tools and write research papers. A variety of vegetable crops are grown on the school grounds, in summer watermelon and even stevia, which is called a natural sugar substitute, feel great there.

– It is important that children develop an understanding: if you know the whole process – from the purchase of seeds to cultivation and sale – you can earn money on the land, – emphasizes the teacher of labor training Olga Sazanovich. – We have a large vegetable garden. We cultivate cabbage, carrots, beets, and in two greenhouses children learn how to grow tomatoes. This year, about 1.5 hectares of grain were sown, 8 acres of potatoes and 10 acres of onions were planted. The following year, 5 kg of beans were purchased.

According to the director of the school, Viktor Korostik, our own products make it possible to make children's nutrition more useful. In addition, by selling surpluses, it is possible to significantly strengthen the material and technical base.

– We participate in fairs of educational institutions. We even have regular customers. It's nice that our products are known," says Viktor Korostik. – With the proceeds, without involving the Board of Trustees, we carry out repair work, purchase sports equipment. So, two classrooms have been renovated this year.

The school arboretum surprises with numerous green spaces and flowers, of which about 4 thousand are planted annually. In the lush crowns of the trees there are birdhouses, feeders and houses for bats. An environmental class is equipped outdoors, and there is also a hotel for insects.

Onion Experiment

The real pride and brand of the school is the bow. According to Olga Sazanovich, the "Stuttgart" variety has always been grown on the site. Later, thanks to participation in various projects, others began to be tested – Alonso, exibishen, red Baron.

– They wrote a research paper on the latter. Recently, we took the third place in the republic, – says Olga Sazanovich. – In order not to stand still, we are testing those varieties that are suitable for our region, we are trying to expand the range of work. For example, for the competition it was necessary to grow an onion in 1.5 kg. The largest specimen we have turned out to be 610 grams. The maximum declared weight was not achieved due to the fact that chemical fertilizers were not used. Onions grown in the school garden are an environmentally friendly product.

Only humus is added to the ground for onions, after harvesting this area is sown with rye. To protect the vegetable crop from diseases, marigolds are planted along the perimeter.

– This is aesthetics in the garden, besides, the main pest – the onion fly – is afraid of these flowers, – adds the teacher. – Everyone in the area knows our bow. And, by the way, this year's yield was good. In 2025, we want to test Belarusian varieties - "vetraz" or "Litvinov's belongings".

Profile three

A year later, three tenth graders – Ivan Moroz, Anastasia Shevchenko and Karina Golovashko – will graduate from the agrarian orientation group. Now the guys are interested in participating in scientific experiments and projects, because they are sure that such practice will definitely be useful in life.

– My father works as a tractor driver in the Dokshitsky district agricultural service, my grandmother breeds calves. Therefore, interest in the agricultural group appeared immediately, – says Ivan Moroz. – It's great that our school has the opportunity to get acquainted with agricultural professions before entering the university. From the fifth grade, we are taught to work, in the classroom we master the full process of growing crops from planting to receiving the product.

Anastasia Shevchenko sees herself as an agroindustrial complex specialist in the future. The girl decided to enter an agricultural university after an excursion to the dairy farm "Dobrun" in JSC "Begomlskoe".

– I like working on a farm, I think that agriculture is a promising industry, – adds Anastasia. – At school, they call me the champion of weeding the beds. I always try to do my job efficiently. In general, thanks to the classes in the agricultural group, I understood what work on the land is.

Karina Golovashko has not yet decided on a profession, the girl is attracted to veterinary medicine and pedagogy, and her favorite subject is biology.

– Parents also work in agriculture. Since childhood, I have been interested in watching animals and helping them," says Karina. – I like that I have been studying the agricultural profession since school. When you see everything with your own eyes, touch it with your hands, then it's easier to make a professional choice.

Getting to know the profession

Specialized agricultural classes in the Vitebsk region appeared in 2018. According to the Dokshitsky district executive committee, the first one in the district was created on the basis of the Porplishchenskaya school. And the network of agroclasses is gradually expanding.

In comparison with the 2018/2019 academic year, it increased sevenfold, and the number of boys and girls employed in agricultural classes increased more than five times. Today, the opportunity to study in agroclasses and groups is provided to children in Sittsevskaya, Porplishchenskaya, Krulevshchinskaya, Glinskaya and Parafyanovskaya secondary schools. Four agroclasses and three agrogroups have been created there, which are attended by 34 schoolchildren. An important part of the training is conducting agricultural workshops, career guidance meetings, visits to agro-industrial complex organizations, etc.

Photo by Alexey VRONSKY.

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