Maryland Girl Becomes First Teen to Pass State Horticulture Test

Carroll Shry is brimming with pride these days, elated that one of his students, Charlotte Thompson, has become Maryland's first teenager ever to pass the certified horticulturist exam administered by the Maryland Department of Agriculture.

Horticulture — the science and art of cultivating plants — is one of the fastest-growing areas in agriculture, said Shry, a landscaping instructor at the Frederick County Career and Technology Center and co-author of "Introductory Horticulture."

"She has been a super student with a tremendous work ethic," Shry said. "She has those exemplary qualities of an individual you would desire to have running your business."

Charlotte, 17, said she took about an hour to complete the test, which included three sections: plant identification, general horticulture and landscape principles. She is a third-year student at the FCC Tech Center.

Shry said the certified professional horticulturist program was started in 1985 and involves growers, garden centers, landscape contractors, dealers and suppliers. Charlotte had to study the information offered through the Maryland Nursery and Landscaping Association, he said.

"Passing the test means that I have demonstrated knowledge in the practical, scientific and professional parts of the horticulture industry," Charlotte said. "I will use this possibly in my career, as I can be referred to for questions, advice and concerns. My love for agriculture will probably lead me to a career related to the landscaping field."

Charlotte's exposure to agriculture began early.

"As a kid, I was always helping plant the summer garden, mow the grass and plant all of the flowers. I love growing things and watching them prosper. I would have to thank my ag teachers at Walkersville and the Career & Tech Center for encouraging me to continue on with horticulture," Charlotte said.

One unforgettable moment for Charlotte was attending the National FFA Convention, she said. "I was reassured that there are still young people like myself all across the country who are striving to keep agriculture alive," she said.

Shry said that as a student, Charlotte followed through on any project she was working on, could communicate with people who came to the landscape center and knew about the plant material she was working with.

For her success so far, Charlotte credits her parents, Frank and Pam Thompson, Shry and Sarah Osbourne Welty, an agriculture education instructor at Walkersville High School.

"Mr. Shry has taught me many different things pertaining to horticulture," Charlotte said. "I have participated in the Nursery/Landscape Career Development Event, I placed second in the Maryland State Competition and traveled to the National Future Farmers of America convention, where I placed silver individually in the nation."

Her other accomplishments include Maryland Dairy Princess, Frederick County Dairy Princess, Outstanding 4-H'er of the Year, president of Lewistown Mountain View 4-H Club, president of Frederick County 4-H Junior Dairy Club, Career and Technology Student of the Month, First Place State FFA Landscape Team and First Place Regional Landscape Contest.

Charlotte also placed first in the local SkillsUSA competition, a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled work force.

Passion for Ag

"People do not appreciate farmers or farming, and that is what irks me," Charlotte said. "Instead of thanking the farmers for putting the food on their table every morning, the general public would rather gawk at our dusty farm trucks and manure-covered clothes."

People even complain that slow-moving tractors on the roads make them late and about the smell of manure coming from the farms, she said.

"If only the public knew about our lifestyles and all of the effort that gets put into our job, we would get a lot more leniency. We do not work for the money or the brand-new tractors, but the comfort of living the way that we do," she said.

Charlotte said that many young people are not interested in pursuing farming as a career because there's not a lot of money to be made.

"I don't believe that people are motivated to work for hardly any money," she said.

Charlotte said that not many people are familiar with the farming community, "And they don't want to take the time out of their day to learn about it," she said.

"If there were sufficient income, I think that more people should be farmers because the best place for a child to grow up is on the farm," Charlotte said. "The responsibility, manners and knowledge that is learned in on a farm is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that cannot be learned in a book."

Shry said horticulture's popularity is due in large part to increasing awareness by the general public, as people look inward at a need to be closer to nature, and outward at a world where efficient food production and land conservation are increasingly important.

Charlotte said people should heed the bumper sticker: "It's Not Farmland Without The Farmers."

"It reminds all of those people who move out to our countryside that it wouldn't be here if it weren't for the dedicated people keeping it here," she said.

After graduation from Walkersville High School, Charlotte wants to pursue college studies in agriculture business, with a minor in horticulture and business management.