On Oct. 17 students filled the A wing to see and pet animals at this year’s annual Ag Day. 

Ag Day is an annual event that happens once a year, where the agricultural classes bring their animals for students to explore different aspects of agriculture. Students can come down during their lunch times, free periods, and study halls. Ag Day included a wide range of animals from pigs, horses, sheep, and much more.

Jakel Lambert, freshman, got to experience his first Ag Day and said that he had mixed feelings about it. “I thought it was okay, I didn’t like how it smelled,” Lambert said. “But other than that, it was fun to see the animals and pet them. It was something different that we didn’t get to do back in middle school and I’m excited to come back next year and see animals again.”

The Battle Ag Day occurred during the school day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m, but people involved in the event said there was a lot of planning for the event. Hailey Lavender, sophomore and Future Farmers of America (FFA) vice president of the Columbia Public School District,expressed how FFA members helped prepare. “There is a lot that goes into planning for Ag day, like where we are going to get the panels from, and who is going to bring what animals and much more,” Lavender said. 

Lavender also mentioned that Ag Day was a success and that she can’t wait for the future years. “It went great and we already have planned some things for next year and we can’t wait to do this again next year,” Lavender said.

Ag Day is only open for Battle students to come see the animals and is not a community event. 

Matt Praiswater, agriculture teacher, is in his first year of teaching at Battle and said this is his third ever Ag Day and that Battle’s Ag Day is much different than the others. “The ones that I have been a part of before, weren’t during the school day, and they were open to the community so this is very different,” Praiswater said. 

Praiswater also said that it was a good time. “It was a great time still, it’s great for the students of mine to be able to showcase their animals, and for the students to come and have such a great time when they have a lunch period or free time during the day,” Praiswater said.

The date is not scheduled for next year; however, they plan to host the event again.