Albion grad will head Agri-Business Academy in Genesee County

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 April 2014 at 12:00 am

Provided photo – Kerri (McKenna) Richardson was active in 4-H and showing cattle while growing up in Barre. The Albion graduate will be working as the instructor of the Agri-Business Academy at the Batavia Career and Technical Education Center.

BATAVIA – An Albion native has been appointed instructor of the new Agri-Business Academy at the Batavia Career and Technical Education Center.

Kerri (McKenna) Richardson had most recently been working as community educator for the Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension.

She grew up in Barre and worked with her parents, George and Iva, at Country Lane Veterinary Services. Richardson also showed animals at local, regional and state fairs. She won the grand master showman award at the Orleans County Fair and also won the Junior Miss title.

She earned a master’s degree from Cornell University in agricultural education. In her new role she will connect students in the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership to opportunities in agriculture.

“The Genesee County area has an impressive, welcoming agricultural community that provides youth with a plethora of opportunities,” Richardson said. “I am excited begin my career as an instructor of the Agri-Business Academy and provide students with the opportunity to explore and delve into the agricultural community through experiences in agri-businesses.”

The Agri-Business Academy will start this fall. It will be available to students at the Batavia Career and Technical Education Center. The Agri-Business Academy is a one-year partnership program between the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership and Genesee Community College. This college prep program is geared toward highly motivated high school seniors interested in investigating careers in the agri-business field.

Students will explore multidisciplinary professions through meetings with career guest speakers, in conjunction with job shadows and field trips at a variety of agricultural and business locations. Food management science, environmental science, global position systems technology, power machinery, international trade, or agri-tourism, are a few of the areas that will be studied.

At the completion of this one-year program, students will earn 12 SUNY college credits.  The credit hour cost for academy students is $50, which is one third of the regular GCC tuition rate.

The Batavia Career and Technical Education Center is a program of the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership.  The Partnership operates as a Board of Cooperative Educational Services providing shared programs and services to 22 component school districts located in Genesee, Wyoming, Livingston and Steuben counties.

Applications are now being accepted for this program.  If you know of a student who might be interested in this program, please contact Richardson at krichardson3@gvboces.org or 585-344-7711 ext 2140 or Catherine Bennett at cbennett2@gvboces.org or 585-344-7773.