‘Ag Day’ goes back to roots

By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — “Kids don't know what it takes to get food on the table or how clothes are made,” said Cassandra Guttierrez, 16, a sophomore at Grants High School.

On April 23 this year, for the 11th time in as many years, “Ag Day” will help about 600 second- and sixth-grade students from Grants area schools learn how those things are done.

Ag Day also helps students learn about potential careers in conservation, said organizer Tanya Ott, of Gallup.
Ott is an instructional support teacher at Washington Elementary School in Gallup.

620 students

She said it has grown to a maximum of about 620 students, teachers and a few parents each year, split into two sections, second-graders in the morning and sixth-graders in the afternoon.

The event is held at the Grants Rodeo Grounds of which the local rodeo association donates the rodeo grounds building and the grounds at no cost to the event.

It is held from 8:30-11 a.m., and from noon to 12:30 p.m.
Again this year, local 4-H youth and teens will conduct a rodeo exhibition for the students during the lunch hour. There is an overlap with the morning students leaving at noon and the afternoon students arriving at 11 a.m., Ott said.

Cassandra has attended Ag Day and presented animals and science fair projects to other students as well during the years.

This year she said she will most likely present a habitat and ecosystems booth to the attending students.

Students are rotated through a number of booths with exhibitors both inside and outside the building, spending about 15 minutes at each station, Ott said.

“Some of these kids may choose careers in conservation, or science, as a result of this event,” she said.

Firsthand knowledge

Cassandra took first place this year in the Grants-Cibola County Schools science fair and will be attending the International Science Fair in Atlanta, Ga., in May and speaks about the event from firsthand knowledge.

“Second-graders are a little young to remember a lot about this day.

“Sixth-graders are older and may remember much more, and by the time they reach high school, some will have forgotten a lot about the event,” she said.

“The event is still worth it though, because it's a wake up call for all the students who attend.

“It gives them a better understanding and a better appreciation about what it takes to produce food and clothing. Most of them think both just come from the store,” she said.

Brenda Simpson, who assists Ott with he exhibition rodeo during the lunch hour, said about 20 local 4-H youth participate in several events, including: Barrel racing, goat tying, team roping, and calf roping.

“We will also have bull riding, but I don't know how many kids will ride the bulls this year,” she said.

Information: Ott: (505) 290-0819; Simpson, (505) 287-4045, ext. 103.

— To contact reporter Jim Tiffin call (505) 287-2197 or e-mail: jtiffin.independent@yahoo.com.