Lawton students get hands-on farming experience

LAWTON, Okla. (KSWO) - Fifth grade students from all over Lawton got in touch with their green thumb Tuesday.

With agriculture being such a huge employer in Oklahoma, Lawton Public Schools wanted to give students a hands-on learning experience.

One agricultural educator, Kenzie McGill, said, “Nowadays, most kids are so far removed from the family farm that they have no idea where their food comes from, whether that’s in the greenhouse or out in the livestock barns. So it’s super important as any American citizen or around the world to be able to know what you’re eating, how it’s grown, how it’s produced and where it comes from, so that you can make choices for yourself about what you want to eat. "

So, Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. students participated in activities where they learned about livestock, horticulture, and machinery.

“This is just really a foundational piece for students to say, ‘Hey, this is really exciting this is something I could be interested in, and I really think maybe I might be able to be a better leader, or I might be able to be a scientist, or engage in different things throughout agriculture,’ and what that looks like for students,” said Lindsey Hoerbert, the Assistant Principal of Life Ready Center.

Even if the students aren’t very interested in agriculture, teachers say it’s still important for them to have a base knowledge of where their food comes from.

McGill went on to add, “I hope kids take away that there are still programs like this out there because being so removed from the school site they don’t necessarily know. People drive down Lee everyday and have no idea what this facility is, so it’s important for them to know this is an option. They can take these classes and they can learn things about agriculture.”

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