Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – The number of Presque Isle High School students who performed harvest-related work this fall is higher than it’s been in six years.
According to statistics shared at the Nov. 13 SAD 1 board of directors meeting, 145 students, or 22.73 percent, did harvest-related work earning $178,505. By comparison, 123 students (19.5 percent) worked last year and earned $118,676.
This year’s harvest-related jobs included handpicking, harvester, potato grader, potato house, school farm, soil sampler, truck driver and windrower.
“This is the largest number of students we’ve had working during the potato harvest since 2002,” said Superintendent Gehrig Johnson.
Of the various jobs students could perform, the majority of them worked on the potato harvester. Records show that 55 students worked on a harvester, while only 17, for example, picked potatoes by hand.
Survey results show that 20 freshmen worked in the fields, 29 did non-harvest work, and 118 did not work at all. Twenty-five sophomores performed harvest work, 29 did other work, while 93 were unemployed.
Forty-eight juniors did harvest-related work, 67 did non-harvest related work, while 55 didn’t work at all, and 52 seniors worked in the fields, 75 did other work, and 27 did not have jobs.
By comparison – in 1999 – 177 students performed harvest-related work, 267 did non-harvest related work, while 257 were unemployed. Five years ago (2003), 145 students worked in the fields, 244 did other jobs, and 264 did not work.
Johnson reminded directors that they agreed several years ago to revisit the potato harvest issue if the percentage of students doing harvest-related work got down to 15 percent.
“Obviously we’re not at that point,” he said, “and the numbers are increasing, which is good.”
Noting that 100 percent of PIHS students were surveyed, Principal Eric Waddell said it was “clear that there’s still a place for PIHS students to work in agriculture.”
The next regular SAD 1 board meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10 at the PIHS board conference room.
