The Ottumwa Legacy Foundation is proud to provide a $200,000 grant to the Ottumwa Community School District to expand the Agricultural Education Center. The district also secured an additional $20,000 from the Cargill Cares Council to support the project. The funding will enhance hands-on learning, agricultural career pathways, and real-world experiences for students across the district. The project includes new animal housing, instructional space, stalls, wash bays, storage areas, and expanded breezeways, allowing students to apply classroom lessons in lab-based instruction and animal care.

“This project gives students real responsibility and real experience,” said Kelly Genners, President of the Legacy Foundation. “Caring for animals builds skills students carry into any career and into their own lives.” The expansion will begin in early 2026, with the barn and barnyard operational by the 2026–2027 school year and additional facilities coming online through 2028.

Enrollment in agriculture courses and FFA programs continues to grow. The expanded center will provide opportunities for students, including those who do not live on farms, to participate in experiential learning and advanced courses in agribusiness, horticulture, agronomy, and animal sciences. The Legacy Foundation is proud to partner with the district, Cargill Cares Council, and the community to help prepare students for success in agriculture and beyond.