FutureForward vet students bring farm learning to life

FutureForward Washington Square Veterinary Medicine students had the opportunity to teach 63 third grade students from Tarver Elementary about chickens, goats, barn cats, and reptiles during their recent field trip to Westgate Community School’s farm.The field trip is just one aspect of the partnership between Kelly Gargulak, the Washington Square Veterinary Medicine instructor, and Charlie Kahn, the Environmental Education Coordinator at Westgate Community School.

The partnership picked up speed last year when Ms. Khan asked Washington Square for help. “I’m a department of one, it's just me, and I needed help running a farm," Ms. Khan said. "It isn’t the easiest thing.”

Ms. Garulak and her Veterinary Medicine students answered that call and, in addition to teaching third grade students, now tend to the animals on a weekly basis by feeding and watering the animals, providing routine check-ups, and cleaning up their pens.

Mr. Gargulak viewed this field trip as a natural extension of her students’ classroom learning and hands-on experience. “First, you have to see it, then you have to do it, and finally, you should be able to teach it. If you can teach it, that’s when you truly know it,” she explained.

Helping her students reach that level of confidence and competence is Mrs. Gargulak’s ultimate goal as she prepares her students to become Veterinary Assistants.

Thinking back to the third graders, perhaps Ms. Kahn summed the partnership up best. “What a great opportunity to get public school kids on the farm for the day.”