The Boyd County 4-H Youth Development Agent and staff have implemented an Extension program for elementary students. The program, called "Chicks in the Classroom", offers interactive experiences by which students can learn about various aspects of agriculture. Interactivity is accomplished through interaction with teachers/educators and other learning materials. The overall programmatic goal is to increase agriculture awareness and enhance education among elementary students. Over the last ten years, the program has directly reached more than 7500 students. 

From this approach, the "Chicks in the Classroom" project was designed to enhance the awareness of agriculture through an interactive learning experience. "Chicks in the Classroom" provides incubators, fertile eggs, and educational materials to elementary classrooms in the Boyd County, Ashland Independent, and Fairview Independent school systems as well as the two parochial schools. The program draws connections between products and the importance of education in the advancement of agricultural products.

This year a new survey was developed to capture information and impact of the “Chicks In the Classroom”.   Here are those results from the 21 classrooms:

1. 100% of the students observed the eggs every day while at school
2. 88% of the students spent 10 hours a week in lesson and/or observation of the eggs
3. 100% of the teachers felt that their students learned the 21 day gestation cycle of a chick
4. The average number of hatched chicks was two per classroom.
5. 100% reported that they would like to participate again next year

It is hoped that this approach to agriculture education will further illustrate that learning can be fun and exciting.