Lake Area Technical Institute of Watertown received the 2017 Governor’s Ag Ambassador Award. Lake Area was the first technical school in South Dakota and has graduated nearly 20,000 students. Jim Clendenin Ag Department Supervisor accepted the award at the Governor’s Ag Summit in Aberdeen. He says there are several factors that have contributed to their success.

He says the hands-on learning Lake Area can provide students also sets them apart.

And Clendenin says agriculture is the hot job market right now, but they have always had high placement of their graduates.

The school has 300 students and 10 ag program areas.