820-Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, February 16, 1991
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Leadership
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planet
Ag Ed Students
Complete Building
Andy Mast, right, and Jason Mantz, left, show the new
animal housing at Twin Valley High School.
Students in the Twin Valley
Agricultural Science curriculum
have completed construction of a
small building to house animals
raised as part of the agricultural
education program at Twin Valley
High School.
Begun last school year as part of
a mini-grant from the school dis
trict, students designed and con
structed an 8-foot by 12-foot
building which has been located
outside the agricultural shop. Con
struction included the traditional
carpentry skills as well as insulat
ing and wiring the building.
While rabbits, chickens, and
quail have been a part of the edu
cational program at Twin Valley
for several years, the animals have
been raised in the agricultural
shop, presenting obvious prob
lems. The new building provides a
separate convenient facility where
the animals are not bothered by
normal shop activities and the stu
dents arc not bothered by the odor
and dust of the animals.
Agricultural students raise the
chickens from chicks each fall,
with both broilers and laying
breeds being started. The broilers
are raised to mature weights and
then slaughtered by the students.
Growth rates and feed conversions
arc calculated.
The laying breed chickens arc
kept through the end of the school
year, so students can actually see
the hens lay eggs. Again, feed con
versions are calculated.
Students experience (he details
of small‘animal care. Some of
these animals are also bred, with
offspring being sold to students
for projects. These animals are
also loaned to elementary teachers
for use in their classrooms and are
taken to Tel-Hai for pet therapy.
According to Twin Valley agri
cultural science teacher Ronald
Frederick, many students have
trouble relating classroom theory
to actual practice. Activities such
as building construction and car
ing for the animals on a daily basis
provide students with the oppor
tunity to practice what has been
preached in the classroom and
shop.
The game starts at 7:30 p.m!
and will pit members of the local
Grassland FFA Chapter against
members of the faculty from
throughout the Eastern Lancaster
County School District.
The proceeds for the event will
go toward the ELCEA scholarship
fund as well as FFA activities.
This event is held only once in two
years at G.S. (it takes that long to
have teachers forget their old'
wounds).
Tickets are $4 in advance for
students in high school through
adult and $S at the door. It will
cost children K-Bth grade $3 in
advance and $4 at the door. Senior
Citizens (60 years and over) pay
the same price as children. Child
ren under 6 years of age get in
free. Tickets may be purchased
from any member of the Grass
land FFA Chapter at Garden Spot
High School.
FFA Week
Kicks Off!
The week of February 16
through 23 is National FFA week.
The Grassland FFA Chapter is
sponsoring a donkey basketball
game on Friday, Feb. 22 at the
Garden Spot High School Gym as
part of National FFA Week.
For further information, contact
Garden Spot High School at (717)
354-4031.
Nneeet... that’s the thing to look for during the Grassland
FFA donkey basketball game on Frl., Feb. 22 at Garden
Spot High School.