As Missouri was in the midst of celebrating national 4-H week from Oct. 4-10, local youths got a hands-on introduction to agricultural science last week, complete with interactive lessons, feathers and a live rooster.
At Living Hope Church, the Jefferson City Home Educators cooperative meets for 10 weeks each semester to offer enrichment courses based on chosen curricula. On Thursday afternoon, the co-op's Ag Science class turned its focus to poultry after spending previous weeks exploring beef, pork and corn.
The lesson was led by Amanda Stapp, a youth program associate in Cole County with MU Extension who works closely with 4-H and other youth initiatives. Partnering with homeschool cooperatives allows the extension office to connect with young people who might not otherwise join traditional 4-H clubs.
"4-H is an awesome, positive youth development organization, and we really like to work with the youth and help them be the best they can be," Stapp said. "That includes providing them with different opportunities to learn about Ag Science and more."
For Stapp, building agricultural literacy fits directly into the broader goals of national 4-H week in the region.
"It's nice for the kids to learn about agriculture because we are an agriculture-based community for the most part here in Cole County," Stapp said, noting that her primary objective is giving students a baseline understanding of where their food comes from and how to raise livestock in a healthy and ethical way.
Inside the classroom, Stapp led students through matching card activities pairing pictures of chickens with specific breed traits; a lecture detailing chicken origins, life cycles and the more than 113 distinct chicken breeds; and a video showing chicks hatching. When Stapp asked if anyone raised poultry at home, several hands shot into the air.
The highlight of the afternoon arrived when Cole County 4-H volunteer Julia Suess and her daughter, Madzy Suess, brought two exhibition-grade Dominique chickens, America's oldest established chicken breed, into the room, including one rooster.
Julia Suess serves as the poultry superintendent for the Cole County showcase, while Madzy Suess is the Cole County Youth Showcase Queen, president of the Brazito Eager Elves 4-H club and a 10-year 4-H member. The Suess family currently raises about 24 chickens on their farm.
While letting students touch the birds, the pair demonstrated proper care and explained what it takes to show chickens competitively.
"I want them to know where their food comes from," Julia Suess said. "So I really want them to understand the difference between a meat bird or chicken and an egg-laying bird, and maybe get them interested in showing chickens, too."
Madzy Suess said seeing farm animals up close usually reshapes how students perceive them.
"They're usually very surprised at how calm, tame and docile they are," she said, pointing out that it takes love, care and consistent support to cultivate that temperament.
The hands-on demonstration struck a chord with students like 9-year-old Liam Greene, a fourth-grader who already helps care for a flock of his own at home.
"I like all of this," Greene said. "How the chickens process the eggs."
For Greene, taking care of his family's flock comes down to simple daily routines.
"I just like walking down the road and bringing the bucket of scraps and just dumping them in there -- some of them go crazy," he said.
With positive feedback from parents and high engagement from students in the self-selected course, the extension office's efforts continue to show that bringing agriculture directly into the classroom leaves a lasting impression.