Students enrolled in Connally High School’s functional academics classes were given a unique opportunity to experience hands-on learning in the world of agriculture by participating in the Extra Special Livestock Show on Friday, September 22. The event, which is sponsored by the Falls County Youth Fair in Marlin, gives students who are enrolled in special education services the opportunity to work with livestock with help from their peers.
“The livestock show gave our students a great opportunity to get out into the community and work with their peers in a show arena,” CISD Director of Special Education Laurie Tresl said. “It was amazing to see how our students were able to learn and grow throughout the day - everyone ended up having an awesome time.”
Throughout the day, Connally students were given the opportunity to interact with a wide variety of different livestock animals. They toured various barn facilities and teamed up with students from schools in Falls County to practice showing lambs and goats.
“The Extra Special Show in Falls County allows kids who otherwise might not have the opportunity to show an animal to get experience working with an animal,” CISD Educational Diagnostician Erin Whitley said. “On the flip side of that, the kids that are showing get to learn that just because someone is different from you does not mean they are not fully capable of a lot of things. The kids get to teach another student about the world of livestock showing, but then our students get to teach them about their world. They are on an equal playing field.”
The event provides students with a chance to get up close and personal with animals while learning about them. For students at Connally, which does not currently have an animal science department, it is a great opportunity to experience new things.
“The Special Show has been going on for several years now,” ARD Facilitator Tracie Utz said. “Falls County has been gracious enough to let our students from McLennan County come and join in on the fun. Any time that we can give our kids a tangible experience, it makes a huge impact on their education.”
Event sponsors donate bags full of treats and goodies for each of the participants. Even better than that, they left the show with medals.
“It is an absolute privilege to work with these kids and see them make memories out in the real world,” CHS paraprofessional Carmen Rivera said. “They got snacks, they got treats, and they won awards. It was amazing. All of our kids had a great time.”
Moving forward, the Special Education Department hopes to make attendance at the Extra Special Livestock Show an annual event. The students are excited about that opportunity.
“It was fun,” CHS senior Micah Holmes said. “We got to eat snacks, see the animals, and walk with them. It was a good day.”