CLOVIS, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – The Clovis East High Ag students hosted 900 elementary students from all over the central valley for the Spring Agriculture Fair Wednesday and Thursday at CUSD farm.
The fair offered everything from goat petting to flower arranging, with over 60 different booths and activities manned by high school students.
The students showed the younger children about all sectors of agriculture. They learned about animals by watching sheep being shorn, milking a dairy cow model, and petting goats, horses, and pigs.
The children also learned about plants and horticulture by playing a seed-matching game, discovering the benefits of insects, and creating a flower arrangement. They also learned about ag mechanics by watching a welding demonstration, learning how to use hand tools safely, and attaching different equipment.
“The grade-school children love it,” says Clovis East Agriculture Department Chair Jennifer Knight, “and it is also a great opportunity for our high school ag students to become the teacher for the day, sharing information about agriculture in a tangible, positive way.”
One of the primary goals of the event that was also held in the fall is to educate kids about their food and where it comes from, which is especially meaningful in the Central Valley where agriculture is a top industry.
“It may be the first time for some to see a farm or farm animal in person. We want them to know their food is grown by a human who cares about plants, animals, and the environment, and that food doesn’t just come from a store or factory,” Knight said.
