Event promotes agriculture, raises awareness
Local Anglophone School District West (ASD-W) community schools, in partnership with Agriculture in the Classroom New Brunswick and the Nutrients for Life Foundation Canada, hosted an Interactive Student Agricultural Expo for River Valley students last month.
The event was hosted at the AYR Motor Centre in Woodstock on March 18. Middle and high school students from Townsview School, Meduxnekeag Consolidated School, Hartland Community School, and Southern Victoria High School attended.
Valerie Carmichael, the Community Engagement Coordinator for ASD-W and an event organizer, said the purpose of the event is to “create an awareness of what agriculture is, beyond ‘just farming’.”
By bringing in a variety of vendors, this year’s event featured 18, students are exposed to the diverse options that exist within the agriculture industry.
Carmichael said that bringing in middle and high school students creates “different conversations between the levels,” with middle school students more focused on exposure to options, whereas high school conversations may be more focused on preparation for post-secondary education and careers.
The expo was set up in two sections – one focused on technology stations where students participated in interactive demonstrations, and the other on giving students a chance to talk to industry representatives and glean information.
Students were also given a “passport” which could be stamped as they visited the various exhibits. The passports were then turned in for a chance to win a prize.
Maggie Earle was one of the representatives from Carleton Agri Solutions, an agricultural supply and seed business based in Hartland.
Earle praised the event, saying she was pleased to see such an interactive option for learning about the industry.
“You don’t see as many kids going into agriculture anymore,” said Earle. “We need to get more people [involved], especially women.”
Earle felt that agricultural expos are a great way to “get students thinking” about the possibilities in the industry.
Carmichael said the expo was a great success, and by the end of the day, they had over 800 students through the doors.
