Article

For many Ohio high school students, the agricultural industry can feel distant—something happening in fields, labs and businesses far from their own day‑to‑day experiences.

But ExploreAg, a fully funded ag and STEM immersion program funded through the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation, works to change that.

“These camps highlight the vast array of possibilities for a meaningful career in Ohio’s farm and food industries, especially for students who may have never considered agriculture,” said Katie Share, ExploreAg and youth development specialist at Ohio Farm Bureau. “From agronomy to communications to cutting‑edge technology, agriculture is full of opportunity—and ExploreAg helps students see where they fit.”

For students like Lydia Fuchs of Belmont County and Liam Joyce of Hamilton County, that opportunity felt both unexpected and transformative.

From uncertainty to direction

Fuchs, a senior at Barnesville High School, came into the program at a crossroads many high school students know well. Active in sports, leadership groups, FFA, 4‑H, church and multiple clubs, she excelled everywhere—except in identifying what came next.

“I arrived with an open mind and a lot of questions,” she said. Encouraged by FFA peers and social media posts about the camp, she applied hoping to find clarity.

With other ExploreAg campers, Fuchs toured a range of agricultural businesses—from Lavender Trails Farm, where agritourism blends creativity with community outreach, to greenhouse operations that showcased modern food production. A session with an agricultural communicator sparked a new interest: telling the story of agriculture.

By the end of camp, Fuchs understood that her passion for leadership, communication and community engagement had a place in the agricultural sector. She took the momentum home, applied and was accepted to become an FFA in the USA reporter, where she is one of 250 students across the country who cover all-things FFA in their chapters and community.

“By the time I graduated from ExploreAg, I had a much clearer picture of the wide range  of opportunities agriculture offers and a stronger sense of how I could fit into that future,” Fuchs said.

A city student finds his place

For Joyce, agriculture had always been an interest without a roadmap.

Growing up in Cincinnati, he had no family ties to farming. Still, from watching agricultural shows as a child to working summers on a Texas ranch through family friends, the pull toward agriculture remained strong.

Joyce recalled seeing a combine on one of the ag shows he watched and thinking, “That’s it; I want to feed America.” What he didn’t know was how, as a self-proclaimed “city kid,” he could find his way into the industry.

He learned about ExploreAg through his school’s college counselor. Initially hesitant, he decided to attend at the urging of his parents—and quickly discovered the program offered exactly what he had been searching for.

Joyce gravitated toward the program’s agriscience and engineering components: auto‑steer demonstrations, machinery labs and hands‑on equipment use. Operating a track hoe became an ExploreAg core memory.

The experience expanded his understanding of what modern agriculture looks like—and how technology and science could enhance his future endeavors, which include working with cattle and horses. The camp’s visit to a meat science facility also reshaped how he thought about connecting ranchers and consumers.

“Now I can really see where I can tie those two together,” he said.

A program designed to open doors

Both Fuchs and Joyce pointed to the program’s relationships as one of its strongest components. Students connect with industry professionals, ExploreAg staff and peers who share similar interests.

For Fuchs, those connections translated into new confidence and tangible next steps. For Joyce, they offered a sense of belonging.

“It was great to spend time with people who shared similar interests with me,” he said.

With no cost barrier to participate, ExploreAg aims to reach students of all backgrounds—those with deep agricultural roots and those discovering the field for the first time.

Both teens say they would strongly recommend the camp to younger students, especially freshmen and sophomores who have time to explore career paths early.

“You walk into ExploreAg as one person and leave with stronger confidence, leadership skills and a clearer sense of direction for your future,” Fuchs said.

KEY POINTS

• ExploreAg exposes Ohio high school students to a wide range of careers in agriculture and helps them see where they might fit.
• Students gain personal clarity and confidence through hands‑on experiences and industry connections.
• The program is accessible, transformative and free.

WHAT’S NEXT

• In 2026 there are multiple one-day, ExploreAg experiences in various parts of the state, kicking off with COLT Lineman Training May 29 in Mount Gilead.
• A weeklong camp is offered May 31-June 5 at The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Wooster campus.
• Registration for the 2026 program opens March 1; registration for each program closes 10 days before the program date or earlier when all spots are filled.