By Mackenzie Wallace

Cows, sheep, goats, and pigs aren’t an unusual sight in the agriculture facilities; however, they certainly turned a few heads among the groups of kindergartners seen wandering the barns lately.

Kindergarten students from both the Madison cluster schools, including Steubing Ranch, Stahl, Longs Creek, and Fox Run, and a handful of others, such as Castle Hills, Camelot, and Dellview, have been field-tripping over to the barns the past week to learn about the importance of agriculture in our daily lives. Although few may truly realize the impact it holds, agriculture is the source of the world’s food supply and it’s important that the future generations are able to recognize this. “We want the kids to connect Ag to how they get to eat three meals a day,” AMP director Doak Stewart said. “Somebody is busy at work daily so we can have food on our plates.”

Tours, led by students involved in AMP, took the kinder kids to each of the barns where they listened to a short lesson on the various animals. “We show them what the animals eat, how to take care of them, and explain what they’re used for,” sophomore Katie Kendrick said. “We want them to realize the importance of Ag in our daily lives and appreciate it.”

The Agriscience Magnet Program comes with many benefits to the students involved. “There are a ton of careers available in Ag,” Stewart said. “Ag is asked to feed an ever-growing population. The skills taught are current and can apply in the real world. Lastly, these experiences develop a portfolio for scholarships.”