Students in Agriculture Education Studies 315 helped narrow the gap between the farming community and city life Thursday as they taught more than 200 fifth graders the ins and outs of the agriculture industry.

“[We taught] mostly city kids that had no farming background,” said Ramon Kuntz, senior in agricultural studies and agronomy. “We gave them knowledge on how a farm works — maybe they won’t think milk just comes from the store anymore.”

About 30 students from the ag leadership class spent the semester preparing for the service learning project, which was at the Farm Bureau Pavilion in Kildee Hall, said Scott Grantz, senior in agricultural studies and agricultural systems technology.

Fourteen or 15 classes from seven elementary schools in the Ames School District participated, said Kuntz and Grantz, both students in the class.

The day included an afternoon and morning session. Students visited eight stations relating to various agricultural fields including livestock, feed mixtures and nutrients, growth stages and corn production. All of the stations and information presented related to the students’ class curriculum, Kuntz said.

“There were cows and animals there for the kids to look at,” he said. “[At one of the stations] there was a split carcass [hanging up] so the students could see where different cuts of meat come from. The students thought it was pretty neat.”

Grantz said he spent the day helping students explore a fistulated steer, or a cow with a hole in its stomach that students could reach into. The steers are typically used for feed and nutrition research.

“No one wanted to [stick their arm in] at first,” he said. “And then one [student] did it and then they all wanted to do it. I’d say 80 to 90 percent of the students did it.”

Grantz said to prepare for the event, the ag class raised about $2,500 to pay for the students’ buses, supplies, publicity and livestock.

“We handed out bags of information on our different sponsors,” said Kuntz, adding that the class is very grateful to the 15 sponsors who supported the event.

Overall, Kuntz said, the day was a great learning experience.

“It was an excellent way for me to relay information I have learned at Iowa State to the kids,” he said. “I’m spreading my education.”

Grantz said the university stresses building good relationships with the community. This, he said, is a great way to do that. Plus, he said he gets to share what he has learned in class.

“As the day went on, we [touched up] our public speaking skills and learned how to keep the kids’ attention,” he said.