Eastern Wyoming College Precision Ag Instructor Matt Scott presented Sterling High School Agricultural Education Instructor and FFA Advisor Whitney Reed (left), and Sterling High School graduate Jalyssa Maker (right) with new drones. EWC gave away six drones to three different students and their school’s ag programs to promote precision agriculture and agricultural educators. Maker, and the SHS ag program were among the winners.

Sterling High School graduate Jalyssa Maker was the winner of a drone from Eastern Wyoming College. Because of her win, a second drone was given to the Sterling High School ag department.

Maker was excited to be the winner of one of the high end drones that have a GPS system in them which will return the drone to the take-off point automatically at the press of a button. The drone has a camera, and can be adjusted by the operator from the remote control. The drones weigh less than 250 grams, which means they don’t have to be registered with the FAA and no special license is required to fly.

Eastern Wyoming College Precision Ag Instructor Matt Scott helps Sterling High School graduate Jalyssa Maker setup her new drone. Maker was one of the student winners in EWC’s drone giveaway.

Eastern Wyoming College is giving away six drones this year, three to students and three to their schools to help promote the importance of precision agriculture and agricultural educators.

“Over the last year, I have visited 21 schools and driven over 4500 miles traveling to schools in the region presenting the basics of precision agriculture and career opportunities available,” EWC Precision Ag Instructor Matt Scott said. “It is a growing job market and people with precision agricultural training are in high demand.”

When Scott visited SHS on Feb. 27, “the students loved it,” SHS Agricultural Education Instructor and FFA Advisor Whitney Reed said. “He had all his fancy drones out and the students knew it was not going to be an ordinary presentation.”

Sterling High School Agricultural Education Instructor and FFA Advisor Whitney Reed looks on as Eastern Wyoming College Precision Ag Instructor Matt Scott shows Reed how the remote control works on the new drone the SHS ag department received from EWC.

Drones are an important part of agriculture, Scott told the students. They provide a way of monitoring crop health and keeping records of the changes in the fields over time.

“By evaluating the images from drones, problem areas in a field can be treated far earlier than would be possible through conventional scouting means,” he said. “Drones map every bit of a field as opposed to walking a field which only gives a narrow bit of examination.”

The students were able to register for a drone giveaway EWC was doing to promote awareness of precision agriculture to the area students.

Reed said she was looking forward to using the school’s new drone in her classroom as they explore more about precision agriculture.

“By using the principles of precision agriculture, we are able to provide more food per acre and be better stewards of the land to assure the world of a continued and reliable food supply,” Scott said.

Maker will be studying nursing and playing basketball this fall at MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, Kansas.