University Park, Pa. -- All of the students of St. Matthew School in Tyrone will tell you that they took a great field trip to Penn State recently: they handled huge cockroaches, conducted a mock "CSI" forensic science lab and ended the day with Penn State ice cream sundaes. They also left with a better understanding of the role of agriculture and the natural sciences in their daily lives.
Kids in Kindergarten through sixth-grade took part in half-day interactive workshops that focused on enhancing their agricultural literacy. Developed and coordinated by Tiffany Hoy, assistant director of the Center for Professional Personal Development in Penn State's Department of Agricultural and Extension Education, the workshops were a painless way to teach the students that their food doesn't originate in a supermarket, and that nature isn't something foreign and far away.
"Since my background is in agricultural education and my son attends the school, I began working with the principal and several teachers to incorporate agriculture into their classrooms, so students will gain an appreciation about the agricultural industry," Hoy said. "We wanted to use local resources to create a hands-on educational trip involving agricultural topics. With Penn State so close to Tyrone, it was the perfect opportunity to engage both the elementary students and the college students studying to be agricultural education teachers."
Under the direction of department head Tracy Hoover, Penn State students conducted 4-H ag literacy programs, presented insects at the Frost Entomological Museum, explained Mr. Yuck's role in helping youngsters avoid hazardous household substances and led a forensic-science lab. Hoy says both elementary and collegiate students appreciated the hands-on experience.
"The college students and faculty did a phenomenal job," Hoy said. "The elementary students were excited about learning and have already started to ask when they can come back to learn more."
"This is the first year for the program, but Dr. Hoover and I would like to continue to incorporate the ag-literacy component in the undergraduate course [4-H Extension Education Lab]" she added. "We hope to continue this relationship with the school and to build on our current program. I’m also hoping this will lead the children to think about pursuing a career in agriculture and eventually coming to the College of Agricultural Sciences."