We welcome all students and families to our FFA Alumni group--you do not need any background in agriculture or FFA to participate! We will host our next FFA Alumni Meeting on Tuesday, November 12th at 6:00 p.m. in the Library Media Center. You also can join us via Zoom using this link or this information:

• Meeting ID: 258 676 2898
• Passcode: 893366

Amplify will host a networking event on Monday, November 11th from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Keeneland Library. Learn more about careers in the equine industry and register here!

Also, see the below flyer about the Lexington Sister Cities Youth Exchange Program!

Counselor Ms. Jenni Berk continues to meet with students to support them if having socio-emotional, attendance, and/or academic concerns.

Families play the most important role in building resilience in children. Maintaining a routine, practicing self-care, nurturing a positive self-image and positive outlook, and accepting change ensures children grow into independent learners and leaders. Check out the below Resiliency Guide for Parents and Teachers to help your student recover from trauma and develop self-efficacy skills.

Library Media Specialist Mrs. Meredith Reed welcomed students to the October Book Club and has issued a challenge to all students, faculty, and staff to read at least 25 books this school year! Check out the dashboard to see our statistics! For November, students continue to read 2025 Kentucky Bluegrass Award books. Students will read Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross and Star Splitter by Matthew Kirby (See the below photos.). Remember: we provide books to students, and the meetings occur during the school day, so everyone has access!

Also, thank you to Agriculture Instructor Mrs. Morgan Margita, for bringing her students to the Library Media Center to enhance their research skills for an upcoming project focused on the environmental science and natural resources pathway.

Yearbook Staff have completed taking senior photos on our farm and will continue to create page layouts and edit photos using Lightroom (See the photo at right of Yearbook Staff working with Yearbook Reporters). Listen for announcements and check announcements posted in Canvas regarding the schedule for 9th, 10th, and 11th grade photos. Contact Sponsor and Library Media Center Specialist Mrs. Meredith Reed with questions or to order a yearbook. You also can order a yearbook through Josten's.

Thank you to the 25 LTAC students who attended the FFA National Convention! Congratulations to graduate Caroline Groth who will serve as the Eastern Region Vice President at the national level for FFA! Congratulations to graduates Caroline Groth and Carrie Wagner who earned their American Degrees! Congratulations to Ava Boyd, Clover Hadden, Eli Hurley, and Zoey Miller for earning a Gold Rating (highest level) in the Pre-Veterinary Studies Career Development Event, placing in the top 12 of 44 teams, at the FFA National Convention! See the below photos.

Stay tuned for information about attending the FFA Bluegrass Region Leadership Conference (TBD) and participating in the local Leadership Development Event (Employment Skills) on Tuesday, November 19th.

At the last meeting, Zayvier Chenault gave a presentation about Cinco de Mayo. Members again discussed how to recruit students to earn the Seal of Biliteracy by demonstrating literacy and fluency in English and another language. Students will meet next during the school day on Thursday, November 21st. Contact Sponsor and World Language Teacher Senora Laura De Vettori for more information.

Students celebrated Tree Week by hosting community partners, including Sarah Ward from the Fayette County Conservation District. Students trimmed and treated invasive honeysuckle on campus, aiming to support native tree populations. Students will meet again in mid-November to nominate officers. Contact Sponsor and Agriculture Instructor Mrs. Ally Thompson for more information.

Students will have their next meeting on Tuesday, November 12th from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in 107A. Students who want to attend the Jr. MANRRS Institute at the University of Kentucky must register by Friday, November 15th. See Sponsor and Agriculture Instructor Ms. Graciela Barajas for more information!

Celebration Committee - Elaina Heil with Agriculture Instructor Mrs. Latissa Higgins

• Save the date for Monday, November 25th--we will recognize students who have earned their Greenhand and Chapter Degrees during the morning and afternoon sessions. Stay tuned for more information!

Community Service Committee - Abbie Knox with Agriculture Instructor Mrs. Toni Myers

• Thank you to the Agriculture Instructors and students who volunteered for Operation Pumpkin Patch on Tuesday, November 5th to harvest pumpkins from Bi-Water Farm and Greenhouse to donate to God's Pantry. Stay tuned for information on another service project this semester!

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Committee - Kai Baker with Agriculture Instructor Ms. Graciela Barajas

• See the Jr. MANRRS section for updates.

Family and Community Engagement Committee - Kenja Vargas with Agriculture Instructor Mrs. Morgan Margita

• Thank you to the over 200 families who attended the Fall Festival and Family Cookout--we had a wonderful evening of food, trick or treating, a costume contest, games, pumpkin painting, and fellowship! We will have another event for families in the Spring!

Fundraiser Committee - Eden Fluharty with Agriculture Instructor Mr. Brian Craig

• Thank you to the students who volunteered to work fall festival weekends at Bi-Water Farm and Greenhouse--we will receive a donation for our FFA Chapter soon! We will conduct our next fundraiser in March, selling strawberries.

Leadership Development Committee - Addison Hillard with Agriculture Instructor Mr. Daniel Bustle and the FFA Officers

• See the FFA section for updates.

Social Committee - Harper Bone with Agriculture Instructor Mrs. Kathleen Magsam

• We will host a Thanksgiving meal for students on Tuesday, November 26th.

Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) Committee - Giselle Green with Agriculture Instructor Mr. Doug Ashcraft

• Keep watching our social media sites for features on students' SAEs!

Sustainability Committee (Jr. Conservation Board) - Belle McKinlay with Agriculture Instructor Mrs. Ally Thompson

• See the Jr. Conservation Board section for updates.

Wellness Committee - Melanie Planck with Agriculture Instructor Mrs. Fallon Jackson

• Students will participate in a gratitude project in November, so stay tuned for more information!

Students in the Agricultural Engineering Institute have learned the components and systems of a four-stroke engine and how they function together. Students have read blueprints and built a building truss. Students also have completed construction of the high tunnel to expand the Plant Science Institute's growing space.

Next, students will begin disassembling engines and learn about working with concrete and electricity.

Students in Equine Science (Level 1) have memorized the parts of the horse and rope halters. Next, students will learn to pick hooves and clean stalls with straw and shavings bedding types.

Students in Agribusiness and Farm Management (Level 2) completed a unit on horse judging and can organize horses based on conformation. They also can take a horse's vital signs and bandage their legs. Next, students will learn to manage a barn and employees.

Students in Agricultural Sales and Marketing (Level 3) have learned to put a surcingle on a horse and start a horse under saddle. Next, they will pitch a product to a customer and begin studying lameness in horses.

Students have completed making pickles and baked items. Next, they will continue to learn about caring for sheep and goats and processing chickens.

Students in Veterinary Science (Level 1) learned to restrain canine and feline patients to protect the safety of the animal and veterinary clinic staff. Next, they will prepare for their final assessment for the semester.

Students in Small Animal Technology (Level 2) learned about surgical assisting and can clean, disinfect, and sterilize surgical instruments and appropriately pack them. Next, they will prepare for their final assessment for the semester.

Students in Animal Technology (Level 3) learned about the gastrointestinal and nervous systems and next will study the respiratory and circulatory systems.

Thank you to everyone who participated in Barktoberfest! Please see the photo at top left from this successful fundraiser!

Students in Environmental Science and Technology have studied soil horizons and profiles, focusing on conservation strategies to protect soil health. They also have learned about how erosion affects water quality, specifically evaluating and analyzing the health of our creek on campus.

Students in Forestry have trimmed invasive honeysuckle and gained foundational knowledge on tool use and safety.

Students in Aquaculture toured the aquatics program at Kentucky State University, broadening their understanding of aquatics systems and industry practices.

See below for photos.

Students in this Institute have designed their first large floral arrangement for Halloween. Students soon will have poinsettias ready for sale, following blooming and coloring. Students also have learned about cover crops and installed wheat and rye to our campus garden areas.

Students who earned the highest scores on in-class performance assessments will participate in the FFA Kentucky Plant Science Career Development Events on land judging.

In AgriScience, students have continued to practice segments of the scientific process through food experiments and labs. Next, students will determine their topics for their agriscience fair projects.

In Agriculture Employability Skills, students have perfected their resumes and attended an Ag for All Conference at the University of Kentucky.

In Principles of Agricultural Science and Technology, students have completed their unit on the Career and Technical Student Organization, FFA, and received their Greenhand Degree! Students have started their sustainable practices informational collaborative project to take a deeper look at sustainable agriculture practices as informed by the environmental science and natural resources pathway. Next, students will learn about the food science and processing program by investigating food labels and food safety practices.

Students continue to learn about stress management and the long-term effects of stress on the brain and other parts of the body's nervous system. Next, students will teach one another about positive coping skills for dealing with stress. Questions? Contact Health and Physical Education Teacher Ms. Katie Beeler.

Students in Spanish 1 learned greetings and the differences between informal and formal greetings in Hispanic cultures. Students in Spanish 2 learned agricultural vocabulary then showcased a product from a Hispanic culture. Students in Advanced Spanish 3 learned reflexive verbs. All students participated in a Dia de los Muertos celebration with Mexican food and drinks! Next, students in Spanish 1 will learn animal body part vocabulary. Students in Spanish 2 will discuss daily activities using regular, present tense verbs. Students in Advanced Spanish 3 will review indicative present tense then subjunctive tense.

Students in Advanced Humanities and Visual and Performing Arts have developed criteria for analyzing art and investigating intentions of artists. Students in Advanced United States History analyzed the impact the Gilded Age has had on our American society. Students in Advanced World History analyzed the impact various global revolutions have had on our human society. Students in Advanced Government analyzed the United States Constitution and how our republic democracy functions. All courses have upcoming performance assessments: either projects due or assessments scheduled.

Former Crawford Middle School (CMS) students Alejandra Galindo Raymundo, Jason Mock, and McKenzie Rust represented LTAC at a special programs showcase at CMS! See the below photos.

Check out the below photos of 30 young LTAC women who attended the Young Women Lead Conference in Ashland, Kentucky, hearing from Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman and other guest speakers!

Congratulations to Harmony Litteral! The American Rabbit Breeders Association recognized Harmony for 5th place in national average management with her American Fuzzy Lops; 2nd place for breed identification, and 3rd place for her junior homegrown doe, Walmart. See the below photos.

All interns have received their first evaluations from their supervisors and completed reflections on areas of strength and growth. The reflections also included a goal for an area of improvement with a plan to achieve the goal prior to the next evaluation cycle. Please direct any questions to Work-Based Learning Coordinator Mrs. Nicki Jones.

Interns at The Kentucky Castle have harvested all remaining vegetables, donating them to the Spark Community Cafe in Versailles, Kentucky--a "pay what you can or nothing at all for a meal" restaurant. Interns also have received recommendations on soil renewal from the Fayette County Extension Office. Next, interns will breed the does and host a holiday market. See the below photos.

• Email the Attendance Specialist.
• Email the Counselor.
• Email the Library Media Specialist.

Mission: To grow ALL students into leaders who serve and advocate for the future of agriculture.

Vision: Together students discover their passion and unlock their potential through Leadership, Teamwork, Agriculture, and Community.

Run with the PACK:

be Positive, Ambitious, Courageous, and Kind!

Email: catherine.vannatter@fayette.kyschools.us
Website: fcps.net/locusttrace
Location: 3591 Leestown Road, Lexington, KY 40511
Phone: 859-422-3990
Facebook: facebook.com/locusttraceac

Instagram: instagram.com/locusttraceac
X: @LocustTraceAC