A group of 25 high school juniors and seniors attended the Dairy Leaders of Tomorrow annual Exploration Experience at The University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center this fall! With most of the students having some sort of interest in a future career as a veterinarian, they were able to complete hands-on labs focused on calf health and neonatal management, dairy nutrition and more. They even had a chance to perform physical examinations on cows.
“All the activities were very hands-on, so the students were engaged in the learning vs. being lectured to. The level of the material was great for those who were at more of an exploratory level, as well as those who had dairy experience. Many of my students were greatly impacted and shared their experiences with their vet science classmates,” shared Ayla Blatt, an agriculture educator at Kutztown High School.
Students completed the day with a full tour of the New Bolton Center. These types of on-farm, experiential learning experiences help high schoolers get an inside look at what a career in veterinary science could actually look like – while meeting and building relationships with industry professionals.
This experience was funded in part by a USDA grant received by UPenn Veterinary School.
