Stock Show Teaches Life Skills
By: KSAN News
Updated: February 12, 2013
Stock show season can last anywhere from a few months to year-round, and the students who participate in them sometimes miss school for weeks at a time.
"Pigs and people began finding their place in the barn Tuesday and students of all ages were busy preparing for their upcoming shows.
While most of their friends are in school, these students are in a larger classroom, learning skills that will benefit them for years to come.
"This is one of the best places for a kid to actually learn and they learn so much more that can ever be taught in a classroom. They're learning life skills that you can't gain other places. They're learning responsibility, time management, how to care for animals, and these things are going to take these kids to incredible leadership roles once they finish their livestock projects."
The students begin working with their livestock months in advance and when it comes time to show them, they can often miss several weeks of school. Karsi Carson is a sophomore and says that missing school can sometimes be tough and while her absences are excused she still has to keep up with her responsibilities at school, but when she gets to a show, the real work begins.
The first thing we do is set up our pen and we weigh our pig because it has to be certain weight for the show and we put up and set up we feed him when we think he needs to be fed and just get things ready. We're up here early and stay late so we don't get much sleep and that's hard but it's worth it and it's a lot of fun.
To these students, the whole experience is just for fun but really...
"They are learning such a valuable thing that they may not even realize they're learning at the time until they graduate and when they look back and realize, man, what I learned I learned in the barn."
A class room is not the only place where you can get an education, the skills that are acquired here play and intricate role in preparing these kids for the arena of life
"Pigs and people began finding their place in the barn Tuesday and students of all ages were busy preparing for their upcoming shows.
While most of their friends are in school, these students are in a larger classroom, learning skills that will benefit them for years to come.
"This is one of the best places for a kid to actually learn and they learn so much more that can ever be taught in a classroom. They're learning life skills that you can't gain other places. They're learning responsibility, time management, how to care for animals, and these things are going to take these kids to incredible leadership roles once they finish their livestock projects."
The students begin working with their livestock months in advance and when it comes time to show them, they can often miss several weeks of school. Karsi Carson is a sophomore and says that missing school can sometimes be tough and while her absences are excused she still has to keep up with her responsibilities at school, but when she gets to a show, the real work begins.
The first thing we do is set up our pen and we weigh our pig because it has to be certain weight for the show and we put up and set up we feed him when we think he needs to be fed and just get things ready. We're up here early and stay late so we don't get much sleep and that's hard but it's worth it and it's a lot of fun.
To these students, the whole experience is just for fun but really...
"They are learning such a valuable thing that they may not even realize they're learning at the time until they graduate and when they look back and realize, man, what I learned I learned in the barn."
A class room is not the only place where you can get an education, the skills that are acquired here play and intricate role in preparing these kids for the arena of life
