Henley FFA brings agriculture alive for young students

Oct. 22, 2025 / Henley first-, second-, and third-graders chattered excitedly as little hands reached out to pet soft rabbit ears and furry goat and sheep noses. On the grass, another group of children stirred cups of pudding and crushed Oreos, carefully layering “soil” and “bedrock” while learning about the layers of the earth.

It was all part of Ag Youth Awareness Day, an annual event hosted by Henley High School’s FFA chapter that brings agriculture to life for elementary students.

The hands-on event – hosted this year on Oct. 21 -- featured interactive learning stations, live animals, and activities designed to help young students understand how agriculture connects to their daily lives.

“We think it’s really important for kids, even at this age, to start understanding agriculture,” said Meagan Coppo, Henley FFA advisor and ag science teacher. “It’s all around us, but not a lot of people really know about it.”

Elementary students rotated through five learning stations, including Soil Horizons, Feed the Pig, an animal petting area, and even a dance station to “get the wiggles out.” The activities were organized and led by FFA members.

“My students are dedicated to showing these younger kids that agriculture is part of their everyday lives,” Coppo said. “When they brushed their teeth or got ready this morning, they were already using ag byproducts. Agriculture is part of everything they do  — they just might not realize it yet.”

At the Soil Horizons station, children built edible “soil cups” using Oreos, pudding, and gummy worms while learning about the layers of soil.

“Our kids go through a little curriculum that teaches what each soil layer represents,” Coppo explained. “This is a fun, hands-on way for the younger kids to learn.”

In addition to soil science, students got to meet animals raised through the school’s FFA program, including lambs bred and born on campus, friendly bottle-fed goats, and rabbits for children who might be nervous around larger animals. The Feed the Pig game — built by the school’s shop teacher — gave students a playful way to connect with ag education, while the dance station encouraged movement and fun.

Twenty-six FFA members participated in this year’s event, representing a wide range of experience levels.

“I have some FFA officers here and some brand-new freshmen who are just joining our ag program,” Coppo said. “It’s a great mix — and I think that makes it even better. When students teach younger kids what they’ve learned, it helps them appreciate it more.”

The Henley FFA chapter has 255 members, with about 75 actively involved. Events like Ag Youth Awareness Day help students find ways to participate even if they aren’t showing animals or haven’t yet chosen a Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) project.

“These kinds of days are great because they give every student a chance to contribute,” the Coppo said. “And for me, it’s fun to step back and watch my students in action — seeing how they take what they’ve learned in class and share it in a way younger kids can understand.”