I feel strongly that the only reason I'm still in college is because of Sterling and the hands-on education that they offer. Through the work program, I have been able to keep my education affordable and will graduate with almost no debt. After I graduate, I plan to move back to my parent's farm in Northeastern Vermont to build a small house and continue growing and raising food to feed my community. A large part of the reason I can do this right out of school has been the work program at Sterling, both from a financial aspect and because of the skills I have gained in my time on the Sterling Farm. Working on the land and supporting the community I live in are super important to me, and the work program at Sterling has given me an even broader range of skills to use in this work.