HISTORY:
The Sassy Cows for Savvy Kids program began many years ago with a special needs student, Joshua, in our Agriculture program who wanted to show a heifer. Joshua’s first calf was named "Sassy". Through his 8 years of involvement in Riverview FFA he was able to raise and exhibit several calves, all of which were named "Sassy". He also showed rabbits and market pigs during his high school career. Joshua was able to earn his State FFA Degree (the highest degree a State Association can bestow on its members) by developing his life and leadership skills through his Supervised Agricultural Experience program.
We were inspired by Joshua's ability to grow and succeed in this project. By learning how to care for an animal he learned how to care for himself. We wanted to afford other students with disabilities the same opportunity by helping them to acquire the same skills as Joshua. A lease program was started, with the assistance of local dairymen, to provide an animal for those who could not afford to purchase one.
As the program grew, we added "buddies" to help the special needs students. These "buddies" were general FFA members and Agriculture students who partnered with the special needs students to assist them in caring for and showing their animals. The program has evolved to include all students interested in having the experience of a dairy animal project.
Agriculture Literacy (an understanding of where your food and fiber come from) is the basis of this project and has expanded to all facets of the agriculture industry. Through their Agriculture class students learn to care for animals, grow fruits and vegetables and explore various uses of agricultural products. Our program uses the life skills that the students have learned to teach them to prepare meals and recognize the nutritional value of the foods they eat.
Choose from the menu above to check out their activities.
The Sassy Cows for Savvy Kids program began many years ago with a special needs student, Joshua, in our Agriculture program who wanted to show a heifer. Joshua’s first calf was named "Sassy". Through his 8 years of involvement in Riverview FFA he was able to raise and exhibit several calves, all of which were named "Sassy". He also showed rabbits and market pigs during his high school career. Joshua was able to earn his State FFA Degree (the highest degree a State Association can bestow on its members) by developing his life and leadership skills through his Supervised Agricultural Experience program.
We were inspired by Joshua's ability to grow and succeed in this project. By learning how to care for an animal he learned how to care for himself. We wanted to afford other students with disabilities the same opportunity by helping them to acquire the same skills as Joshua. A lease program was started, with the assistance of local dairymen, to provide an animal for those who could not afford to purchase one.
As the program grew, we added "buddies" to help the special needs students. These "buddies" were general FFA members and Agriculture students who partnered with the special needs students to assist them in caring for and showing their animals. The program has evolved to include all students interested in having the experience of a dairy animal project.
Agriculture Literacy (an understanding of where your food and fiber come from) is the basis of this project and has expanded to all facets of the agriculture industry. Through their Agriculture class students learn to care for animals, grow fruits and vegetables and explore various uses of agricultural products. Our program uses the life skills that the students have learned to teach them to prepare meals and recognize the nutritional value of the foods they eat.
Choose from the menu above to check out their activities.