AND FINALLY TONIGHT, WHEN CLASSES BEGIN THIS WEEK AT A SPECIAL CHARTER SCHOOL IN FLORIDA, SOME OF THE LESSONS WILL BE TAUGHT IN BARNS AND ANIMAL PENS.

COHLEEN BRADFORD KRANTZ OF PBS IOWA EXPLAINS.

>> INSTEAD OF HEADING TO A SPORTS FIELD OR MUSIC ROOM AFTER CLASS MANY STUDENTS AT THIS PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL IN FLORIDA SPEND THEIR AFTERNOONS CARING FOR FARM ANIMALS.

IT IS CALLED THE ACADEMY AT THE FARM TO GIVE STUDENTS A STELLAR EDUCATION AND A NEW UNDERSTANDING ABOUT HOW AGRICULTURE IMPACTS THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES.

ROBIN CARTER IS ONE OF THE TEACHERS HERE.

>> A LOT OF KIDS HAVE THE IDEA THAT AGRICULTURE IS PLAYING WITH ANIMALS ALL DAY OR FEEDING ANIMALS OR HAVING PETS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND WE WANT THEM TO EXPAND THEIR HORIZONS AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AGRICULTURE IS GIVING US LIFE.

COLLEEN: THIS HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE IS WOVEN INTO THE SCIENCE CURRICULUM AND THE GOAL IS BY THE TIME THESE STUDENTS LEAVE HERE IN EIGHTH GRADE THEY COME INTO THE WORLD AS MORE INFORMED CONSUMERS, AND WITH LIFELONG MEMORIES OF A UNIQUE SCHOOL EXPERIENCE.

COLLEEN: WHEN I CAME HERE 10 YEARS AGO ACADEMICS AND HIGH EXPECTATIONS WERE DRAWING KIDS.

TODAY THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ABSOLUTELY WANT TO COME TO OUR SCHOOL BECAUSE OF OUR AGRICULTURE PROGRAMS.

COLLEEN: A RECENTLY RETIRED SCHOOL DIRECTOR ENCOURAGE THE EXPANSION OF THE ACADEMY'S EGG PROGRAM.

HE WAS RAISED NEARBY ON WHAT USED TO BE A 6000 ACRE CATTLE RANCH.

>> I FELT LIKE KIDS NEED TO KNOW WHERE THEIR FOOD COMES FROM.

LESS AND LESS KIDS ARE EDUCATED WITH THAT.

I FOUND KIDS THOUGHT THEIR HAMBURGER CAME FROM MCDONALD'S.

COLLEEN: HE SAYS NOT ONLY DO THESE KIDS LEARN WHERE THE HAMBURGER CAME FROM, HE SAYS WORKING WITH THESE ANIMALS HAS A PROFOUND IMPACT ON THEIR BEHAVIOR.

>> IT IS AN INTERESTING PHENOMENA TO ME WHEN YOU CAN TAKE KIDS WHO ARE STRUGGLING OR HAVING TROUBLE AND TAKE THEM TO THE BARN FOR 15 MINUTES AND CHANGE THEIR WHOLE DAY.

YOU CAN HAND THEM A BABY GOAT AND THEIR LIFE CHANGES.

IT IS ALMOST LIKE MAGIC.

COLLEEN: DESPITE THE POPULARITY OF THESE ANIMALS, HE SAYS THE SCHOOL HAS NEVER LOST SIGHT OF ITS CORE JOB.

>> THE STATE DOES NOT TEST WHETHER THE KIDS KNOW HOW A KID HAS PIGLETS.

THEY TEST MATH, READING AND WRITING.

COLLEEN: MAKING SURE EVERY ASPECT OF THE AGRICULTURE PROGRAM IS ACADEMICALLY SOUND FALLS TO RIBBON -- ROBIN.

>> YOU HAVE TO DO THIS WITH YOUR PINKY FINGER.

I INTEGRATE THE FLORIDA SCIENCE STANDARDS INTO THE ELEMENTARY AGRICULTURE LESSONS.

THAT IS HOW I TRY TO SUPPORT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS.

I TALK ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A SCIENTIST, AND TO RESEARCH SOMETHING, NOT JUST BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU HEAR, BUT GO TO A GOOD SOURCE TO GET YOUR INFORMATION.

COLLEEN: SHE SAYS AS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AS THOSE SKILLS ARE, WORKING IN AGRICULTURE ALSO TEACHES THINGS NO CLASSROOM CAN MATCH, LIKE HOW TO BE RESILIENT WHEN UNEXPECTED CHALLENGES ARRIVE.

>> IN EDUCATION SOMETIMES THE EXPECTATION IS EVERYTHING IS DONE PERFECT ALL THE TIME.

IN AGRICULTURE THAT IS NOT HOW LIFE GOES.

YOU COULD HAVE A PROJECT OR CROP OR ANIMAL THAT SUDDENLY PASSES AWAY OR DIES OR THERE IS A HURRICANE OR SOMETHING HAPPENS.

YOU HAVE TO ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES.

COLLEEN: SOME STUDENTS SPEND EXTRA TIME PRACTICING TO SHOW THEIR ANIMALS AT FAIRS.

THESE PUBLIC EVENTS SUPPORT COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR THE ACADEMY AND KIDS BENEFIT FROM WORKING SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH CLASSMATES.

ROBIN'S HUSBAND TIM MANAGES THE BARNS HERE.

HE SAYS A SHARED SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY IS SOMETHING THESE YOUNG KIDS LEARN TO EMBRACE.

>> AFTER SCHOOL IF YOU HAVE AN ANIMAL HERE IT HAS TO BE FED, TAKEN CARE OF.

ON THE WEEKEND THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR FEEDING AND ANY CHANGES.

MOST OF THE KIDS WE GET WE ARE VERY LUCKY.

THEY DON'T GRUMBLE ABOUT THE WORK AT ALL.

THESE PROJECTS ARE ALSO FAMILY PROJECTS.

A 10 YEAR OLD CANNOT DRIVE THEM SELVES HERE ON SATURDAY TO FEED THE ANIMALS.

COLLEEN: CRISTIANO IS A FORMER STUDENT AND HELPS FEED THE PIGS ON-SITE AND HELPS STUDENTS WITH PROJECTS.

>> EVERYTHING IS HANDS-ON.

WHEN I FIRST STARTED I SAID I WOULD NEVER GIVE A VACCINATION TO A PIG.

IT FREAKED ME OUT, I DID NOT LIKE NEEDLES.

A COUPLE MONTHS LATER I WAS GIVING ALMOST ALL THE INJECTIONS IN THE BARN.

COLLEEN: THIS 11-YEAR-OLD CONNOR SEES THIS AS PREPARATION FOR LIFE.

>> HAVING TO BE RESPONSIBLE TO FEED THEM, BEING RESPONSIBLE WITH MY MONEY, HAVING TO PAY FOR THEIR FOOD AND EQUIPMENT STUFF.

COLLEEN: EXPERIENCES LIKE THESE ARE CONFIRMATION TO ROBIN CARTER THAT BRINGING AGRICULTURE INTO THE CLASSROOM CAN CHANGE LIVES AT AN EARLY AGE.

>> WE NEED TO CREATE STUDENTS WHO ARE FEELING CONFIDENT AT AN EARLY AGE TO BE OUTSIDE GETTING THEIR HANDS DIRTY, BEING HANDS-ON.

THEY KNOW THEY WANT TO DO WITH THE RIGHT WAY AND DO NOT WANT TO LOSE THE PRIVILEGE OF DOING FUN ACTIVITIES.

MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS ARE AT AN AGE WHERE I FEEL THEY ARE NOT GIVEN A LOT OF TRUST.

WHEN YOU GIVE THEM THAT TRUST THEY SHINE.

COLLEEN: FOR PBS NEWS WEEKEND I'M COLLEEN BRADFORD KRANTZ IN FLORIDA.

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