Raising Goats and Restoring Tractors in West Point

WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI) – There comes a moment in every student’s life when they wonder how they will ever use, what they are learning, in the real world.

That is never the case in reigning teacher of the year Kramer Sowell’s classroom at the West Point Career and Technology Center.

Kramer Sowell’s classroom is far from traditional.

This year’s lesson plan includes restoring a 50 year old tractor.

Kramer says, ” My goal for them, I’d like for them to get a job and be productive citizens.”

About 30 teens are in the program.

Senior Tyler Taylor knows exactly what’s he getting into.

He says, ” Through the year, you’ll do all kinds of stuff, like learn how to take apart a tractor, you know, you can’t do that sitting at your desk.”

But machines are only part of the curriculum.

Kramer explains, ” We take care of the goats. We’re going to hopefully get them bred, here, in the next month or so, and try to show them next year. We have some chicks coming in Friday (8-23). We’ll have chicks, we’re going to raise them up for eggs.”

Animals are a big responsibility, but these teens are up to the challenge.

Tyler Taylor says,” I love the animals. I love feeding them. I like to do that. I like to feed them out my hands. They’re nice. They are not aggressive or nothing, and it teaches you hands on with animals and how to take care of them and stuff.”

Sophomore Chassity Robinson interjects, ” Goats. I seen goats so far. Two goats.”

I asked, ” Are you afraid of the goats?”

Chassity answered, ” No, I love animals.”

I asked, ” What do you do with these goats?”

Chassity replied, ” We feed them. The last time, we fed them.”

I asked, ” Do you get to pet them any?”

She answered, ” I’m scarred to pet them. We can, but I’m scarred.”

Chassity has since overcome.

And in a way, that’s what Kramer’s class is all about.

He says, ” I try to make them do a lot of stuff they really don’t want to do, because, one day when they get in the working world, that’s the biggest thing they are going to have to grasp.”

I asked Tyler, ” Where do you see Tyler Taylor in 10 years?”

He answered, ” Welding, working construction. Welding, that’s what I plan on doing.”

And thanks to the lessons learned here, Tyler and his classmates have a head start on earning a living.

The students will also gain experience growing vegetables that will be harvested and sold this Spring.