WOODBURY– With February’s Presidents Day Weekend approaching, many wonder: who takes care of campus’ animals when classes aren’t in session? While most students spend breaks sleeping in, traveling, or binging Netflix, a handful are still unlocking the school doors at 7 AM. These are the students who feed, clean, and care for the school’s animals—and when everyone else is off on their “vacation,” it is just another workday in the barn for those few students.
“It can get pretty tiring sometimes, it’s hard to drive back and forth expertly when you live 20 minutes away, ” senior Kenzie Scully, a veteran member of the student staff on campus said. “But it definitely helps build my resume, also the extra time gaining special bonds with the animals is a big plus.”
Additionally, there are the students who don’t get paid for their time at all. Most students wouldn’t dream of doing this for free, but some, like senior Christa Freel, actually choose this path, trading a paycheck for personal growth, real-world experience, and a chance to challenge themselves.
“I don’t mind because I am benefiting from it by gaining experience,” Freel said. “I kind of think of it as an internship, and I am always looking for opportunities to learn more.”
The whole goal of having student workers is to make the ag teachers’ lives easier. With some teachers still taking college classes and upping their own resume, coming back to school to do the easy time consuming things can be a pain. What’s more, with the help of student workers, it has freed up time for the teachers.
“Our student workers don’t just help with the small, time‑consuming tasks—they give ag teachers the time and energy to focus on teaching, finishing our own college classes, and becoming better for our students,” Nonnewaug’s floriculture teacher Erik Birkenberger said.
Even though the work can be exhausting, the students agree that it is worth it in the long run. Many of them say the experience has helped prepare them for future careers in agriculture, while others simply enjoy being part of something bigger than themselves. The barn becomes a second home, and the animals become more than just chores- they become part of daily life.
“The work is exhausting, but the payoff is priceless,” Scully added. “In that barn, chores turn into lessons, animals become family, and long days shape the future farmers we hope to be.”
As the school year continues, these students will keep showing up early and staying late, often without much recognition. While their classmates enjoy time off, the barn still needs to be cleaned and the animals still need care. Thanks to the dedication of the student workers, everything continues to run smoothly, proving that their hard work does not go unnoticed by those who depend on them most.
