Supervised Agricultural Experience Project

Summary

The Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) is a student-led, instructor-supervised, work- based learning experience that results in measurable outcomes within a predefined, agreed upon set of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (AFNR) Technical Standards and Career Ready Practices aligned to your Career Plan of study.

In other words... it is a student-driven, agriculture-related project with goals related to learning more about their career interests. It is conducted outside of school with support from teachers, parents and others.

SAE is...

1. One of the three integral components of all agriculture education program, and is what makes us unique from many other opportunities your child may have.

2. Conducting an SAE project throughout the year is a requirement of the Killingly Ag Education Program and it is graded and credit-bearing.

3. SAE stresses the real world application of classroom instruction and provides valuable life skills in employability, record keeping, marketing, and entrepreneurship.

There are several different types of SAE's a student may participate in at the Killingly Ag-Ed Program. They include: Placement (Paid worker), Volunteer (Non-Paid worker at registered Not-For-Profit Organization), Entrepreneurship (owning a small business), Research, or Foundational. A student may have multiple SAE's. It is up to the student and parent/guardian to actively look for and find a student an appropriate SAE, and all SAE's must meet State Labor Laws and be approved by the Agricultural Education Department.

SAE Types

Paid Placement

These SAE's require that a student work for an employer, get paid with a check and appropriate taxes must be taken out. Exceptions to getting paid are ONLY for those students whose parents own a production farm (the students parents file their taxes and list "farmer" for their occupation).

Examples: Students working for a local florist, veterinarians office, Tractor Supply, Runnings, Dairy Farm, etc.

Unpaid Placement (Volunteer)

Entrepreneurship

These SAE's consist of a student creating their own small agricultural business. Students must create or raise a product or service that can be marketed and sold. Along with earning and investing money in the project, students must actively market their products or services.

Examples: Students raising livestock (sheep, pigs, cattle, etc.) for meat, raising chickens to sell the eggs, fixing lawnmower and other small gas engines, creating their own lawn lawn maintenance businesses, raising honey bees, etc.

Agriscience Research

These SAE's require students to plan and conduct an experiment using the scientific method. Topics can vary greatly depending on a student's resources and interests. Students then enter their project in the Agri-science Fair which is held in May.

Examples: Students creating scientific experiments about how cats react to different types of music, how different types of light affect plant growing rates, or how different animal feeds affect growth rates in animals.

Foundational - Career Exploration

Foundational projects is where most students begin their SAE experience. These are short-term structured projects that allow students to explore their career interests in agriculture through specific activities.

In the freshman year, these projects can be outlined and provided by your Agriculture teachers. In addition, they may include things like a 6 hour job shadow, 4H workshops, safety trainings, improvement projects or attending classes that the local Audubon society.

All foundational projects include the following.

1. Career Exploration and Planning

2. Employability Skills

3. Personal Financial Management

4. Workplace Safety

5. Agricultural Literacy

Foundational - Home & Community Improvement

Additional Resources

Introduction to SAE for Parents & Students

First page of the PDF file: PPT-IntrotoSAE-WEB

SAE for All Students Guide

Need more help with your SAE?

Click Here for Foundational SAE Ideas

Click Here for Assistance with AET & SAE Record Keeping

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