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Engagement Zone Coordinator Hilary Maricle gives local elementary school kids insight on multiple products that are made from corn during Friday morning's Nebraska's Largest Classroom session at the Nebraska State Fair.
Nebraska’s Largest Classroom met for its first session Friday during the Nebraska State Fair.
The ‘classroom’ is the Raising Nebraska building at the fairgrounds: a 25,000 square foot exhibit highlighting the latest in Nebraska agriculture.
Sarah Polak, Experience Coordinator for Raising Nebraska, said 500-800 students would be part of the Largest Classroom Friday alone.
“They come from all over,” she said, including kids who are home-schooled.
Today, Polak said, there would be a lot of Grand Island Public Schools elementary students, among others.
Immediately after the doors opened at 9 a.m. Friday, herds of students from various schools entered, accompanied by their teachers and other supervising adults.
“My favorite thing about largest classroom day is seeing us who've never been here before get excited about what we have to offer,” Polak said. “To watch kids who've never been in our combine exhibit before or a real combine have that experience and to see their excitement.”
Aydin Thompson, a third-grader at Gates Elementary School, wanted to go to to bed “extra early” Thursday night to prepare for his class’s visit to the State Fair. His teacher had given his fellow Gates classmates a primer on what was to come, but Thompson said he wasn’t expecting Raising Nebraska.
“(Teacher said) we’re going to look at animal shows — I didn’t know we were going to do this.”
Yaneidy Loya-Villa (left) and Joana Pacheco (right) explore one of the many interactive exhibits located in Nebraska’s largest Classroom at the State Fair.
Housed in Raising Nebraska were stations like that of Sue Ellen Pegg, who was helping students understand where their food comes from.
Pegg is the UNL College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR) relations director. Pegg said she has noticed kids – especially young ones like those attending Nebraska’s Largest Classroom – don’t always connect with the origins of their food.
“A lot of times I'll ask that question. They're like, ‘I get it at the store.’”
To illustrate the concept of the food supply chain, Pegg had an illustration of a typical student’s breakfast.
“We’re going to talk about where their bread comes from, and so forth, and how that gets to their plate,” Pegg explained.
She said most kids respond with giggles when she asks if they have a cow in their back yard or a chicken coop.
Between giggles, the kids often think deeper.
“It’s allowed for some really great conversations this year,” Pegg said.
When it comes to basic understanding, there is often a difference between students from rural and more populous communities, she said.
“I’m suspecting Grand Island (kids will) be excited. They’re driven by fields every day. They have a better idea.”
“It’s always fun to see different regions’ (reactions).”
Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation had an ag career learning station, hosted by Emily Kammerer. Much like Pegg, she said there are misconceptions about agriculture between children hailing from more- or less-populated areas.
“My main focus is in Omaha. So I see a lot of that disconnect on a daily basis.”
Kammerer has “fun” sharing with students from her urban assignment area that they, too, can be a part of Nebraska’s largest industry.
“Just because you live in a metropolitan area, you can still be connected to the farm, whether it be in a future career, whether it be the activities we do in the classroom, or 4-H, or (other) opportunities,” she said. “They can still be connected.”
Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation's Emily Kammerer discusses the multiple careers in agriculture to local elementary school kids at the Nebraska State Fair's Largest Classroom on Friday morning.
Having a facility like Raising Nebraska and programming like Nebraska’s Largest Classroom helps agriculture professionals and advocates share their message of the value of Nebraska’s ag industry.
“My main focus is normally in classrooms, so to be able to come out to opportunities like this, we see larger amounts of kids,” Kammerer said.
There is also a more diverse group of students, “which is pretty awesome,” she added.
A diverse range of exhibits, like the virtual combine ride and irrigation towers to the ceiling occupy the Raising Nebraska building, too.
Thompson’s eyes scanned the Raising Nebraska building, which was buzzing with classmates from Grand Island and beyond.
What did he think of Nebraska’s Largest Classroom?
Missed 'class' Friday? Nebraska's Largest Classroom is also in session Tuesday, August 30, and Wednesday, August 31 during the Raising Nebraska building's State Fair Hours (9 a.m. - 3 p.m.). No registration is required. All activities at Raising Nebraska are included with State Fair admission.
Sarah Polak, Raising Nebraska Experience Coordinator, said throughout the fair there is a wide variety of activities.
"We hope to see a lot of people here at Raising Nebraska during the Fair."
Learn more about Raising Nebraska at https://raisingnebraska.net/
The facility, including its outdoor displays, is located Raising Nebraska is near the main gate of the Fairgrounds (intersection of State Fair Boulevard & South Locust Street).
Five hundred to 800 local elementary school kids gathered at the Nebraska State Fair on Friday morning to take part in Nebraska’s Largest Classroom, an event that gives insight on the benefits of agriculture.
Jessica Votipka is the education reporter at the Grand Island Independent. She can be reached at 308-381-5420.
Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter.
Jessica Votipka is the education reporter at the Grand Island Independent. She can be reached at 308-381-5420
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A look at the sights and sounds from the first day of the Nebraska State Fair.
Engagement Zone Coordinator Hilary Maricle gives local elementary school kids insight on multiple products that are made from corn during Friday morning's Nebraska's Largest Classroom session at the Nebraska State Fair.
Yaneidy Loya-Villa (left) and Joana Pacheco (right) explore one of the many interactive exhibits located in Nebraska’s largest Classroom at the State Fair.
Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation's Emily Kammerer discusses the multiple careers in agriculture to local elementary school kids at the Nebraska State Fair's Largest Classroom on Friday morning.
Five hundred to 800 local elementary school kids gathered at the Nebraska State Fair on Friday morning to take part in Nebraska’s Largest Classroom, an event that gives insight on the benefits of agriculture.
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