Kale Bingaman, a senior at Imbler High School in the 2023-24 school year, uses the Raven simulator in the agriculture sciences building at Imbler High School.  

IMBLER — Imbler High School FFA has been selected to receive a Raven demo simulator for classroom education, a donation from New Holland Agriculture and Raven Industries.

In February, 11 FFA chapters from across the country were awarded cutting-edge precision ag technology. The donation comes as part of a joint venture between New Holland and Raven Industries to support agricultural education and promote understanding of precision ag technology among high school students.

“The Imbler School District has worked tirelessly to provide a precision agriculture course to our students,” J.D. Cant, Imbler High School’s FFA chapter adviser and the school’s agriculture teacher, said. “Our goal is to invest in our students’ futures by increasing the rigor and relevance of the advanced coursework to align with industry standards. This precision toolkit brings a new realm of excitement to any classroom that has been awarded one.”

The Raven technology education simulator is purposefully designed for use by both teachers and their students and features cutting-edge precision technology. The simulators have a compact and adaptable format that seamlessly integrate into the learning environment.

The simulator involves two essential components of Raven technology — the Viper 4+, Raven’s premier-in-cab display, and the RS-1, Raven’s three-in-one GPS, connectivity and auto-steer sensor.

The elements combine to create a realistic and immersive learning experience for students. Students can operate the simulator and practice various problem scenarios within a safe and controlled classroom environment.

With the simulator, the class can learn how to respond to various scenarios involving different crop pests, planting, chemical and fertilizer applications and see how the simulator configures the job. The students also get experience working with auto street and GPS assist.

The class learns how to evaluate each real-life scenario and see if they had come up with the right solution, the right chemical application and whether the coverage was adequate for the job.

Partnering with SS Equipment

Through the donation of this agriculture educational simulator, SS Equipment, of La Grande, is making a valuable connection with Imbler FFA students. By means of this simulator, students will have hands-on use of the latest precision ag technology today.

“Providing agricultural technology to students in the classroom shows them the future and the opportunities in agriculture for the next generation,” Josh Ray, SS Equipment president, said. “We’re proud to partner with Imbler FFA to create practical, hands-on exposure to actual implements and equipment New Holland has developed.”

New Holland has partnered with the National FFA for 75 years, Ray said.

The ag educational simulator is an important step in bridging the gap between classroom learning and real-field implementation.

“The curriculum taught in the agriculture department of Imbler High School will undoubtedly make a lasting impact on students, especially with the education simulator donated by New Holland and Raven,” Ray said. “It will strengthen their course offerings and FFA chapter, ultimately establishing a culture of innovation for students pursuing agriculture careers.”

FFA teacher J. D. Cant and the Imbler FFA students are attending the National FFA Convention and Expo in Indianapolis November 1-4, and the group will return to their agriculture classroom November 8. While they are there, they will see the latest New Holland products and technologies being showcased.