In January, the students who were in the top 20% of their class were invited to go to the Pennsylvania State Farm Show in Harrisburg, PA. Some students were already present at the show, spending the week tending to their livestock (pigs, sheep & cows). Others had gone to the show the night before to present their Agriscience Fair Projects.
This was a great opportunity for students to interact with other FFA students in PA and to see the fruits of the labor of many Pennsylvania farmers, both young and old. This field trip was very unstructured, allowing students to explore (or relax) at their own pace and either with their friends or alone. I recruited several students to complete a survey about the trip to gain feedback on how the trip might be improved in the coming years. I was surprised by the wise insight given by some students. Students' favorite part of the day seemed to be the animals, including the rabbits, horses and sheep. The most common piece of constructive criticism about the trip was for teachers to provide more structure, giving students suggestions about which exhibits and events to visit. Another student suggested that students be required to meet up with FFA members from other schools around the state. Click here for more survey results. |
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