Students learn at Agricultural Science Fair
The Quartz Corp’s Courtney Aycock gives students a close-up lesson during the Science Fair at Deyton.
More than 200 students from Greenlee and Deyton Elementary Schools explored science earlier this month during the annual Agricultural Science Fair presented by Mitchell County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee.
Each of the students visited science stations for about 10 minutes. Most of the sessions were hands-on and presented by professionals and community experts.
“Students explored unique topics at each station and began to understand how science will apply in all future careers,” said Brandon Birchfield, Deyton principal. “Our teachers and students are excited to be a host for the Agricultural Science Fair each year.”
Plant science topics were shared at a Greenhouse station by Chad Hudgins, Mitchell High Agricultural educator. Grower Rodney Buchanan taught students about Christmas trees.
Mitchell County’s 200 growers produced more than $860,000 in income, ranking seventh in the state. Cooperative Extension agent Shane Biddix shared his knowledge about producing blueberries in the Mitchell County community.
Josh Miller from the NC Forest Service discussed his roles in managing trees and forests in the county. Miller shared how they fight forest fires and how important it is to watch fire warnings.
Teachers and Future Farmers of America members from Mitchell High were also on hand to help escort the students to each station.
Many students said they enjoyed animal science studies. Cooperative Extension agent Michelle South brought her Belgian horse and Harley and John Masters of Roan View Farms introduced a family of goats. Participants enjoyed petting the animals.
Toecane Beekeepers brought a hive of bees and the students were cautiously intrigued to watch the bees
Two of the sessions were created by Courtney Aycock and Alex English on the mining industry in Mitchell County. They shared some of the scientific procedures that help Quartz Corporation produce materials that are part of every electronic device in the world.
They also shared that the white sand on the Augusta National Golf Course where the Masters Tournament is played each year is mined in Mitchell County.
Ciji Dellinger led a station on farm safety. She serves as a nurse for Hospice and Palliative Care of the Blue Ridge and applied her nursing experience as she talked about safety.
Five student teachers from Lees-McRae College provided stations under the supervision of Dr. Nancy McGruyer.
Stations that included sampling food were also very popular. Katie Elkins, Cooperative Extension agent for Family and Consumer Education, created a hit as she offered the participants different foods that they could sample. Some even realized that they liked the foods they had never sampled before the Science Fair. Shanias Pelka, Farm Bureau Women’s Committee member and owner of Seven Springs Farm, taught nutrition by offering samples of unique teas and food products.
At Sharon Runion Rowland’s station on strawberry production and utilization, the students learned about how strawberries are grown and how they can be used. They sampled fresh strawberries and homemade muffins with strawberries in them. Students also realized that strawberries are in many other foods.
The Agricultural Science Fair is produced by members of the Mitchell County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee in consultation with the State Agriculture in the Classroom Director, Heather Willoughby Morton.
Chairing the Women’s Committee is Barbara Harrell, from Harrell Hill Farms. Joining her were committee members Sheila Speight, Sherry Wendy Cannon and Gloria Huskins. Mitchell County Public School Curriculum Coordinator Jennifer Miller developed the rotations and station details. The next Agricultural Science event is Sept. 12 at Gouge Elementary School and will provide science stations similar to those offered at Deyton.