{"id":8161,"date":"2024-11-04T07:52:30","date_gmt":"2024-11-04T12:52:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thseagleseye.com\/?p=8161"},"modified":"2024-11-04T07:52:30","modified_gmt":"2024-11-04T12:52:30","slug":"ths-student-blends-entrepreneurship-and-photography-in-ag-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/thseagleseye.com\/?p=8161","title":{"rendered":"THS Student Blends Entrepreneurship and Photography in Ag Project"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ria Beri \u201827
\n<\/span>EE<\/span><\/i> Co-Managing Editor
\n<\/span>Maura Brunt \u201827
\n<\/span>EE<\/span><\/i> Staff Writer<\/span><\/p>\n

Trumbull High School sophomore Abigail \u201cAbbey\u201d Matera made a strong debut at the Agriscience Fall Festival on October 19. At this event, she showcased her homemade wooden cutting boards as part of a larger project in the Agriscience program. In addition to her entrepreneurial efforts, Matera serves as an officer in Trumbull\u2019s Agriscience chapter, competes as a varsity cross-country runner, actively participates in the Interact Club, and teaches youth karate. Her diverse interests reflect her dedication to both her education and her community.<\/span><\/p>\n

Matera\u2019s initiatives are part of a Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE), a hands-on project designed for agricultural students to apply classroom learning to real-world scenarios. SAEs can take various forms, including Experimental SAEs, which involve conducting research projects; Entrepreneurship SAEs, focused on creating and selling products; Placement SAEs, where students gain experience through work or volunteer positions; and Exploratory SAEs, where students undertake small projects to discover their passions. Matera\u2019s project falls under the Entrepreneurship SAE category, highlighting her commitment to applying her skills in a practical setting.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>As part of her Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) project, Matera\u2019s cutting boards reflect a blend of creativity and skill. Crafted from Maple, Cherry, and Walnut, she meticulously transforms raw wood into functional art. \u201cI start with cutting each roughly 8 ft board into smaller segments,\u201d she explains. \u201cThen I cut the boards into strips that are 1 and \u00bc inches or more.\u201d Matera\u2019s process continues with gluing, clamping, and finishing touches, including handles and juice grooves. Excitingly, she plans to expand her offerings for future events to include custom aprons, having already created a template.<\/span><\/p>\n

Matera\u2019s enthusiasm for this SAE is rooted in family traditions. \u201cMy father has always loved woodworking, and we have so many tools in our basement,\u201d she notes. \u201cI could not pass up an opportunity to combine what I love with the people I love.\u201d Her mother\u2019s passion for sewing further inspired Matera to explore her creative side, linking her love for fabrics and craftsmanship.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to her woodworking, Matera is pursuing a nature photography SAE. \u201cI hope to spread awareness about the conditions of the world we live in today,\u201d she shares. This project allows her to merge her love for photography with writing, creating a platform for advocacy while fulfilling Agriscience requirements.<\/span><\/p>\n

Matera\u2019s journey through the Agriscience program has fostered deeper connections with her peers and community. \u201cBeing in the Ag program has brought me much closer to my friends and people that I would have never talked to prior,\u201d she notes, emphasizing the value of collaboration and shared interests.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reflecting on her experiences, Matera recognizes the challenges of balancing her SAEs with her academic workload, particularly as she navigates her first AP classes. \u201cI\u2019ve learned how much effort it truly takes to accomplish and maintain an SAE,\u201d she admits, noting the minimum requirement of 200 hours each year. Her advice for fellow students? \u201cMake the most of those summer months. It would have saved me so much stress”.<\/span><\/p>\n

Matera also remarked on her initial decision to join the Agriscience program, commenting on how she originally decided to join the school because of her passion for animals and how it has shaped her and become a fundamental part of her high school experience. \u201cI also feel that now I just love science as a whole. I have absolutely no idea what I will do after Ag with my life or career, but I hope to help people and animals alike with science”.<\/span><\/p>\n

Matera\u2019s commitment to her SAEs, her community, and her personal growth exemplifies the true spirit of the Agriscience program. With a combination of passion, creativity, and hard work, she is not only honing her skills but also building lasting connections that extend beyond the classroom. As she looks to the future, Matera hopes to further expand her projects and continue advocating for environmental awareness through her photography.<\/span><\/p>\n

Feature Photo Courtesy: Angela Matera<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ria Beri \u201827 EE Co-Managing Editor Maura Brunt \u201827 EE Staff Writer Trumbull High School sophomore Abigail \u201cAbbey\u201d Matera made a strong debut at the Agriscience Fall Festival on October 19. At…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":8164,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8161","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/thseagleseye.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8161","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/thseagleseye.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/thseagleseye.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thseagleseye.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thseagleseye.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8161"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/thseagleseye.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8161\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8166,"href":"http:\/\/thseagleseye.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8161\/revisions\/8166"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thseagleseye.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8164"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/thseagleseye.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8161"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thseagleseye.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8161"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thseagleseye.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8161"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}