MTSU Mondays: Students get hands-on training on the farm at Ag Spring Fling

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Melinda Crook marveled at the joy and fun the schoolchildren from Mitchell-Neilson Elementary and other schools were having recently in the Tennessee Livestock Center on the Middle Tennessee State University campus.

At the MTSU School of Agriculture Ag Education Spring Fling, Crook, assistant principal at Mitchell-Neilson, knows her school’s youngsters live in downtown Murfreesboro and likely have never been to a farm.

At the event, where an MTSU agritourism class of 21 students oversee a series of stations — “Little Acres” with vegetables, milk and animals, farm equipment, barnyard playground and more — that entertain the pre-K through third graders for two hours on a warm spring day.

Children traveled from Middle Tennessee Christian School, Campus School, Roy Waldron, Smyrna Primary, Kittrell and Mitchell-Neilson for the field trip that included crafts, bee and honey area, a hay maze and baby chicks.

“Our students have never seen anything like this. This is a great experience for them,” said Crook, watching them collect plastic fruit and vegetables with their pails in Little Acres before getting a small cup of MTSU Creamery chocolate milk. “We’re grateful for this opportunity.”

Olivia Hart, 7, a Mitchell-Neilson first grader, said she had “seen a lot of hay.” When asked what had been fun, she said, “Going through the maze (of hay bales) and I’m excited about seeing the baby chicks. It has been an awesome day, and my Momma (Andraiana Jefferson) is here.”

Leading the agritourism class, junior Sarah Pfenning, a plant and soil science major with two prior degrees and planning to pursue her master’s in agricultural education leadership, called the event “organized chaos, but with fun. I spoke to some parents and they appreciate the event happening because they probably won’t ever visit a farm again.”

MTSU senior pre-veterinary major Calliope Fisher of Rockvale, Tennessee, and an event volunteer, said she had “many memorable conversations with kids regarding chickens and their favorite thing about them, to which most of them replied chicken nuggets. Such a joy to be around those kids.”

The event is led by Alanna Vaught, event director and School of Agriculture lecturer.

MTSU students ‘cruise’ into fun for course work in Aging Health and Development class

MTSU Human Development and Family Science students recently went full speed ahead with a landlocked “cruise” party held at St. Clair Street Senior Center.

MTSU students and senior citizens alike played games, did the limbo, danced the macarena and concluded the celebration with a conga line as part of the coursework for the Aging Health and Development class.

“It’s a great opportunity to get some experience working with older adults,” said Human Development and Family Science lecturer Samantha Weir, who teaches the course each spring and fall. “And the intergenerational experience for the older adults is so valuable and uplifting for them.”

The class has been beneficial on multiple levels and provided life lessons for Human Development and Family Science major Sydnee Washington of Johnson City.

“I have my maternal grandparents and from this class, I’m learning ways to interact with them, and learning different stimulating activities to do with them,” said Washington, who recently took ideas from some of the class activities and threw a birthday party for her 76-year-old grandmother.

“We learned in class about memory and so I made a playlist for my Nana of songs that were popular from the ’40s through the ’60s. There was a memory game we played with her, and I used dressing up, used some props and decorations, and I surprised her at her house with the party,” Washington recalled.

Each Friday afternoon throughout the semester, Weir’s students alternated between visiting the senior center or Stones River Manor assisted living for interactive entertainment. They decorated, created, planned and implemented all the activities based on varying themes.

“The planning of the events also helps our students with leadership development and budgeting, as most of them will go on to work for fund-tight nonprofit organizations,” Weir said.

Although activities are centered around amusement, there is a purpose behind the plans.

“All activities planned must also work to stimulate the older adults emotionally, physically, and/or socially at each event,” Weir explained.

Senior center member Yolanda Pruitt of Murfreesboro said she was impressed with the activities and enthusiasm from MTSU students at the late March event.

“The entertainment was wonderful, and the games were very thought out and good. Everybody really got into it,” said Pruitt, who was admittedly competitive at all the games. “I’m going to be 78, so it’s quality of life for the remaining silver years. Being young at heart and having a social life when you’re older is important.”

Rylee Scott, a junior Human Development and Family Science major from Brentwood, said the class has opened her eyes to “what it means to age.”

“It’s definitely given me a lot more empathy and compassion towards older adults in our lives and in our society,” Scott said. “And I think it’s great for younger generations to know that just because someone is older doesn’t mean they are incapable of doing the same things we are.”

MTSU Mondays content is provided by submissions from MTSU News and Media Relations.

This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: MTSU students get hands-on training on the farm at Ag Spring Fling