Wednesday, April 11, 2012

It’s a pretty big day for a one-of-a-kind school in a small Kansas town. Students at the school take a very hands-on approach to their daily lessons.

I spent the day in Walton to see why some V.I.P visitors traveled across the country to learn what makes the school unique.

Students here are excited, so excited that they don’t even mind cleaning up after the animals.

If you can’t tell, this elementary school in Walton is the only agricultural school in the nation.

Walton School Principal Natise Vogt says, “I think what makes our school stand out is the fact that we do project-based learning, and we actually have the farm features on our school campus.”

Representatives from the Georgia State Department of Education are touring the Walton 21st Century Rural Life Center this week, learning more about the school’s approach to hands-on learning.

Here, students care for animals, work in a greenhouse, and collect eggs from their chicken coop to sell.

Georgia School Superintendent Dr. John D. Barge says, “They’re learning measurement, they’re learning math, they’re learning all of the things they need to learn for the state curriculum, but they’re learning it in a relevant way.”

Georgia school leaders hope to take what they learn back and implement it on a much bigger scale.