The scene was organized chaos meets memories to last a lifetime, plus a little agricultural flair. Does it sound familiar?
The Stockyards Stampede Kids Corral, set to take place Oct. 15 in Historic Stockyards City at 10:00 a.m., is a fun-zone for all ages, strategically placed in a traffic-free space in the district. Last year, this Kids Corral featured face painting, llamas, carnival-style games, and so much more. But, there was also a key educational component present.
Agricultural commodity groups set up booths with learning opportunities for students. Those present at the 2021 Stockyards Stampede included Ag in the Classroom, Oklahoma CattleWomen and the Oklahoma Soybean Board. This year, several agricultural groups will be present again, including AITC and Oklahoma CattleWomen.
“It's important for us to attend the Stockyards Stampede because families from urban and suburban areas attend this event,” said Melody Aufill, AITC professional development coordinator. “Even if you don't live on a farm, you are involved in agriculture because you eat and wear clothes.”
This year, AITC’s team will give away resources for children to make their own butter at their booth.
“AITC provides professional development for teachers,” said Aufill. “We also create resources for students to learn about agriculture — coloring books, magazines, tear sheets, and games. We attend some student events to help them learn about agriculture and where their food and clothing come from.”
Last year, many students were reached through the efforts of the agricultural groups.
“Last year, OCW welcomed well over 250 individual students plus their families to our booth at the Stockyards Stampede,” said Cheyenne Sparks, Oklahoma CattleWomen president.
Of course, being in attendance serves a much larger purpose that just attending another big event, Sparks said.
“Participating in the Stockyards Stampede gives organizations like the Oklahoma CattleWomen a chance to give back to the community and engage with Oklahomans of all ages,” Sparks said. “Stockyards Stampede provides a fun environment that is welcoming to the entire family. Overall, I believe this event is a great opportunity for Oklahoma families to spend time together while also learning about the state's agriculture.”
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