SHEFFIELD- 6th grade students at the Millers Run School are in the process of making some changes and renovations to their school. Principal Patrick Ham and four 6th grade students went down to Barnet in the fall to participate in the Vermont Rural Education Collaborative conference. Ham says, "they presented a lot of projects that other schools had done, and these guys decided they wanted to do a couple of things." One larger project the students decided on was to build a chicken coop.
Principal Patrick Ham and four 6th grade students went down to Barnet in the fall to participate in the Vermont Rural Education Collaborative conference. Ham says, "they presented a lot of projects that other schools had done, and these guys decided they wanted to do a couple of things." One larger project the students decided on was to build a chicken coop.
Along with the $1,250 grant the school received to buy chicks and create chicken coop, they also have been given donations from members in the community. "We've had lumber donated by Ray Barry in Sheffield and gravel donated by Lawrence Grando and a lot of support from the community" says Ham.
And the students are excited for this project because they will be able to sell the eggs at their community vegetable garden. 6th grader Maya DeCesare says, "in rural schools it's harder to get all-natural things and this can help out our community too."
Kyla Fournier says, "we want to use the eggs for the cooks and to sell them because I think it will be helpful because it's natural foods and not what the grocery stores use."
Student Wyatt Reed says, "I think it could help with many things. If the school wanted to make cookies for some kind of celebration we could use the eggs. Eggs are always better when there fresh, there's less likely chance of pesticides and other germs and organisms that might get on it." He says that the eggshells can be composted so the school can grow more vegetables for school lunches.
Ham says he believes that for the kids being able to learn these life skills is important. "It's a good life skill, I really believe in people being able to produce their own food and having the confidence to do it. So, having young people raising chicks and learning how to feed them and take care of them."
He says it also helps the students learn about diagnosing health problems and being able to help, the birds be healthy.
And the students favorite part is, "the chickens, because they're so cute" says Fournier.
The chicken coop is expected to be built within the next few weeks so the chicks near the vegetable garden so they can move from Principal Ham's office to their new home.