Local News

State Schools Chief Visits Madera South Ag School

MADERA - Madera South High School played host to the California Superintendent of Public Education, Tom Torlakson Friday afternoon. Madera Unified School District Board of Trustee President Al Galvez invited the state's education chief to tour the agriculture school at Madera South and the robotics program at Madera High School.

Torlakson saw first hand the two state of the art educational programs each of the schools offer students. After a brief welcome at Madera South's Media Center, Torlakson, along with many of the District's administration and Madera County Superintendent of Education Cecilia Massetti, Ed.D made their way to the 18 acre school of agriculture's lab where Torlakson was shown the floralculture, welding and engine classrooms.

In each classroom students were working on their projects but took time to explain to the state superintendent what they were working on. Then it was out to the outdoor plant science lab where Torlakson got to see the start of the schools new Viticulture and Enology project which will give students a hands on opportunity to learn about the process of wine making, from the growing of the grapes all the way to the bottling of the final project.

In 2014 Torlakson award the Madera South High School agriculture program a $600,000 California Career Pathways Trust Grant in the area of plant sconce. Funds from the grant allowed the school to blend the academic and career technology education programs in high need, high wage and high growth secures.