CCHS Students Explore Ranching Through Youth Loan Program

While leading a goal-writing session with juniors at Churchill County High School, School to Career Coordinator Dr. Sue Segura asked students about their future career interests. One student replied, “I want to be a rancher.”

Segura invited the student to meet with her during lunch. When they spoke, she asked if he had access to land for running cattle. He said he did. That conversation sparked the beginning of a career pathway tailored to ranching.

Segura’s first step was reaching out to Stacy Emm, who oversees University of Nevada, Reno Extension programs statewide, to ask whether the "Youth Loans Program" was still available. Emm agreed to present the program to interested students.

When she arrived, Emm clarified that the Youth Loan Program is actually administered by the Farm Service Agency. She connected Segura with Jessi Amos, the agency’s Fallon-based representative, who was able to visit the high school and speak directly with students.

The session became a hands-on introduction to entrepreneurship in agriculture. Several students are now preparing to apply for Youth Loans to begin building their own ranching operations.