E.S Laird Middle School is looking to get more hands on experience in agriculture with a new grant.
The school was presented with a cheque from the Peavey Mart Community Agricultural Grant, which provided over $49,000 to help set up a multi-focused food program. With this money E.S Laird has developed a hydroponics lab where the kids can grow plants and vegetables and is looking to install rain barrels, garden and composting boxes and a honey bee observation hive. Students will also be doing more hands on projects at farms in the Lloydminster area.
Eco-9 Teacher Shaun Donald, who was one of the driving forces to getting the grant, says this gives the kids the ability to learn beyond the classroom, and get a firsthand perspective.
“Being able to get out and actually see what we’re talking about, not just hypothetically talk about it in a classroom, or looking at a textbook or even watching videos. Actually going out, like with our agriculture unit being on the farm, getting up into a combine, seeing how big they are, we got to see a baler, and going to a cattle ranch and a butcher shop, just seeing the whole process of where our food comes from.”
The new resources the agriculture program have is also getting the students interested, including Hannah Brouwler, who says the program has helped foster an interest for her.
“I didn’t know too much about agriculture before, but I’ve definitely learned a lot. It’s all really fascinating and cool to learn about all the different facets that go into it.”
E.S. Laird was one of approximately fifty applicants to apply for the annual grant.
