A student from Mountain View School stands in the doorway of the school's new barn, September 15, 2022. (Photo: Mountain View School)

By Drew Stremick

Mountain View School keeps students engaged with its agriculture program

Sep 20, 2022 | 2:36 PM

MOUNTAIN VIEW, AB – A south-western Alberta town has found a unique way to teach students practical skills and keep them engaged.

Mountain View School expanded its agriculture program with the opening of its brand new barn on Thursday, September 15, 2022.

According to the school, the agriculture program started off small with a simple gardening class in 2020/2021, where students grew fresh produce. In the same academic year, students and the school then raised money and received donations to open its “Poultry Palace”, furthering student agriculture education with opportunities to raise turkeys and chickens, to sell eggs, and to butcher the animals in order to sell the meat.

The addition of the new barn will allow Mountain View School to expand its program again, allowing students to raise steers.

Mountain View School Vice Principal Jeff Hill told LNN that its agriculture program is a way to pass on skills that helped to build the community, and to give students another road to find success in their education.

Nighttime construction on Hwy 3 in Lethbridge starts April 17

Apr 17, 2025

SASHA launches #BuyABed fundraiser to support vulnerable Lethbridge residents

Apr 04, 2025

$20K grants available: TELUS STORYHIVE Pan-Asian Edition opens applications April 1

Mar 18, 2025

“Mountain View as a community was founded on lots of traditional agricultural values. And so, in part, this is an homage or, you know, a way for us to return to our roots and to respect our predecessors, our heritage,” said Hill. “But also, we recognize that for some kids, schooling is difficult. They may not be so inclined academically or athletically, and this is a way for them to want to get up in the morning and come to school each day, to have programs that they can be a committee member of, or participate in and make school fun for them.”

Residents of Mountain View came out to support the school’s growing agriculture program with the grand opening of its new barn on September 15, 2022. (Photo: Mountain View School)

Hill continued saying that by allowing the students to be involved in every step of the program, student engagement occurs naturally.

“It’s bringing a whole new meaning to school. There’s that sense of pride that we did this,” Hill said. “Kids have seen this happen in this past calendar year, but I think what they enjoy about working in the barn is still to be seen, because the barn is brand new, and the steers are coming here in the next month. Really, it’s just kind of a ready, set, go. Now we get to utilize this amazing facility.”

Merrick Fox, the Student Council Chairman at Mountain View School, says he and his fellow classmates really enjoy the program.

“It makes them feel at home, like it gives them something to do. It makes them happy. It’s more than just coming to school doing your work. It brings a whole new meaning to school,” Fox explained. “Everyone’s trying to be part of this, like everyone wants to be with it, and so we’re just including everyone that wants to.”

As the students begin the undertaking of raising the new steers, ideas for the next step for the program are already starting to develop. In the future, the school hopes to construct some greenhouses so students can grow fresh produce throughout the year.

Read more Lethbridge News Now.

For local news delivered daily to your email inbox, subscribe for free to the Lethbridge News Now newsletter here. You can also download the Lethbridge News Now mobile app in the Google Play and the Apple App Stores.