Boquet Valley continues to grow Farm-to-School program

WESTPORT | Boquet Valley Central School District (BVCS) was recently awarded a $15,000 grant from Adirondack Community Foundation to support a new learning initiative that will bring real-world agricultural and environmental education directly into the school setting. This new, innovative program — titled "Expanding Educational Pathways: A Farm-to-School Experiential Learning Initiative" — will center on the development of a school-based chicken coop and a comprehensive program that will serve students in Pre-K through Grade 5. Through a structured, year-long model, students will engage in the care and stewardship of chickens while participating in environmental education programming aligned to science standards. Students will observe, document, and reflect on their experiences, building skills in collaboration, problem-solving, and scientific thinking. The district will partner with the Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE Essex) to support implementation and ensure best practices in animal care and agricultural education. "This initiative represents a meaningful shift toward place-based learning," said BVCS Lake View Campus Principal Lee Kyler. "Students will not only learn science concepts, but they will apply them in authentic contexts that foster curiosity, accountability, and a sense of belonging." This grant will also support the continuation of the Vermont-based Four Winds Nature Institute's programming, which is currently fully funded by Chazy & Westport Communications (CWC). Launched last year, this initiative trains local volunteers to lead monthly, hands-on lessons that include natural science information and a variety of hands-on learning activities in the schoolyard and surrounding community — allowing students to observe, question, and discover the natural world as working scientists do. During these sessions, students learn about various local critters, such as beavers, spiders, and bees, and the natural habitats where they live. "We hope that through both these programs, our students will develop a deep curiosity about the natural world, sharpen their science and observation skills, and discover a true sense of place here in the Adirondacks," said Kyler. "Ultimately, we want our students to leave with not only knowledge, but also joy, confidence, and a lifelong desire to keep learning and caring for the world around them." "I agree 100% with everything Lee said," added CCE Essex Community Vitality Resource Educator Ellie Hoffman. "Creating an intentional experiential program integrating Four Winds and Farm to School is a huge step toward embedding hands-on, community-oriented learning into every part of the school day. When students are immersed in these types of science and agriculture-based programs, they develop mindsets of creative problem-solving, stewardship, and well-being." Once again, the school district is seeking out parents and community members interested in volunteering to help with the initial setup and ongoing maintenance of the chicken coop, reinforcing connections between the school and the broader community. District leaders say that these initiatives are designed to address a critical need in rural communities, where access to high-quality, hands-on learning opportunities is often limited. By embedding experiential learning into the school day, these programs aim to increase student engagement, strengthen responsibility, and enhance both academic and social-emotional development. "Last school year, the district was awarded a $10,000 grant from the Adirondack Foundation to support literacy outcomes," Kyler stated. "With this latest grant award, the district is taking a significant step toward redefining how students experience learning: grounding education in real-world application, environmental stewardship, and community connection."

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Boquet Valley continues to grow Farm-to-School program

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