LCHS Students Cultivate Learning Opportunity for Young Farmers

A group of LCHS students are hoping to plant the seeds of loving agriculture in elementary students with an upcoming project.

Chris Thomas’s high school agriculture students are hosting an event called Farm Fest on March 19-23. This event will give elementary-aged students a hands-on look at growing produce and the basics of agriculture and shop work. On the final day of the event, parents of participating younger students will have a chance to see what their kids did throughout the week. LCHS students will also host an auction for everyone in the community.

LCHS Student Madison Chaudoin is part of Thomas’s class. She said she’s excited to see how the younger kids will enjoy hearing from older students rather than teachers for a day.

“Farm Fest will be little lecturing and more project-based because of the lasting effects it has on kids rather than just talking at them,” she said. “At any age, I feel that projects will help students learn more rather than listening to lessons from a teacher. With this, these kids will actually learn how to drive a nail, plant a seed, etc instead of trying to remember how someone had explained it to them in the past.”

Farm Fest is one of many Project Based Learning (PBL) initiatives put forth by LaRue County Schools this year. PBL became integrated into the district-wide Learner Profile initiative. These projects include more hands-on, student-driven activities that apply what a child learns in the classroom to outside events.

The ultimate goal is to provide students with more practical applications of what they’re learning so they can better understand how it affects their daily lives and the LaRue County community as a whole.

Chaudoin said Project Based Learning is “key to getting the proper education.”

“While home economics would be ideal, the Ag pathway has picked up some slack in creating new hands-on projects to prepare the students for life after graduation,” she said. “I have learned more in Ag Classes for my life after high school than any other class, which is why I feel that it is important to get kids of all ages involved as much as possible.”

Chaudoin also mentioned that the leadership opportunities provided by Farm Fest will carry beyond the project as well.

“Being in charge has taught me how to manage an event for younger students, set goals (and meet them), and work with others in my community to get to one big end result,” she said.