Before there was CRAFT: The History of the Agricultural Program at Woodstock Union High School

By Edwin Lynds

Arnold Irwin Howe (Arnie) started teaching at Woodstock High School in July 1956, and he continued to work there until he retired in 1993. Arnie taught Vocational Agriculture, Summer Driving Education, Math, Biology, Adult Farming, and GED evening classes. He also developed the first horticulture program for Vermont high schools, which became a Vermont state model. In addition to his work at the school, Arnie was also involved in the town of Woodstock, serving on its Planning Commission and Zoning Board. At the high school, he was part of the teacher’s organization, an FFA Advisor, and developed a program for taking students to national FFA conventions multiple times, on top of many other boards and programs. Arnie also designed the first greenhouse at WUHS, which was completed in 1974 with the help of his son David. He was selected WUHS Teacher of the year in 1985. When Arnie retired in 1993, he passed the torch to John Hiers. 

John Hiers first started at the high school as a substitute teacher and groundkeeper. In 1993, at the request of Arnie, he took over the leadership of the agriculture program at Woodstock Union High School. In his 27 years as the agriculture teacher, he continued the legacy of Arnie with the FFA chapter, and by inspiring so many students in agriculture. He also set up 20 major trips, both domestic and international, and started a non-profit called Trees and Seeds in 2017, which has continued even after John’s retirement in 2020.  

Following John Hier’s retirement, Janis Boulbol became the head of the agricultural program at Woodstock Union High School, and she began working with a colleague, Kat Robbins, to start the CRAFT (Community and Climate Resilience through Agriculture, Forestry and Technology), which is a new rendition of the agriculture program at Woodstock. The goal of CRAFT is to bring more community engagement into the classroom between the students and the people of the community and teach the students to be community leaders for the future in helping our environment.