National Western Stock Show brings many $$ to the Denver area and many memories to those who attend. Many of our Douglas County 4-H family members participated in various livestock shows from January 10 - 25. One of our 4-Hers also attended National Western Roundup. But the memories for me were of the thousands of school kids who visited the show through the School Tours program.
About 17,000 school students from the metro area wandered the grounds learning about animals and the agriculture industry. Busses were lined up ten to twelve and more deep at times, waiting to load or unload students. Most of the kids loved the Shriner clowns who met them as they disembarked their big yellow bus. The girls were mesmerized by all the rodeo princesses who were also on hand to greet them.
Many of the students had donned cowboy hats and boots to make everyone think they were real cowpokes, but it became evident that many were "city" kids when they asked "what's that smell" as they walked into the building with the horses. As many as 2800 of these little partners participated in free admittance and rodeo clown shows, petting zoos, and educational activities each weekday, courtesy of the National Western Stock Show School Tour program.
Prior to the stock show, volunteers go into classrooms and prepare students for what they will see. These programs stress safety and use hands-on activities to educate kids on agriculture.
If you are a teacher you owe it to your students to check out this free program and field trip. If you are in the Denver metro area, call our office at 720-733-6940 to find out about this opportunity for next January. Your students will love you for it!
Thanks for reading,
Mary Baldwin
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