Agriculture Day
Staff and students immerse themselves in agriculture
Students pose on their tractor.
Ag Day is an important educational tool because everything we use stems from agriculture. From the food you eat to the clothes you wear, agriculture produces the building blocks for our society. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, every American farmer feeds more than 144 people a year. Ag day, led at Battle by Future Farmers of America (FFA), educates the public about where their food comes from and the behind-the-scenes of the process.
This year Ag Day included a variety of presentations, ranging from Plant or Animal Science, to Ag Mechanics, to Horticulture. Students brought a wide variety of equipment, farm animals, and pets. One student, Lauren Martin, brought her horse and some treats to teach students how to pet, interact with, and feed it. Many students had never interacted with a horse before, and there were big smiles on their faces as they did so.
“When I went to Ag Day, I got to pet a horse for the very first time. It was scary but really cool, and I can’t wait to do it again next year!” Nadia Ozanich, sophomore, said.
Ag Day was attended by hundreds of students and teachers alike.
Junior Tanith Frazier said, “I loved Ag Day. I think Ag Day is very beneficial and a great opportunity for students. It kind of makes me want to take an Ag Class.”
This event helps both staff and students by connecting an urban environment and a rural community.
Charlie Hazelrigg, an Ag senior, said, “I think Ag Day is very beneficial. We live in a very urban community, and because of that most people have never been exposed to agriculture, and that’s okay. This could be their only opportunity to see the animals and machinery. We had hundreds of students that got the opportunity to learn.”
Ag Day allowed students in agriculture classes to showcase their work and their passions.
Mr. Praiswater, an Ag teacher, said, “For starters, our students that have what we call a SAE (supervised agricultural experience) get a chance to showcase their projects and what they are working on outside of the classroom,” he explained. “This gives those students a chance to show their hard work and practice the leadership ability of being able to communicate their project with other people. It is really cool to see their peers be able to introduce and show them that side. Plus, there are way too many students that believe a sheep is a pig,” Praiswater joshed.
Overall, Ag Day seemed to be a great success for everyone, teaching them about how their food is harvested, raised, or taken care of. One thing is for sure: everyone is ready for next year’s Ag Day.
