At Livingstone Adventist Academy, students have opportunities to practice real-world applications of STEM subjects. As the students learn and grow, they witness the growth process of living, growing things, deepening their appreciation of their Creator and prompting wonder and curiosity about the world around them.
In March 2020, Rick Nelson, seventh- and eighth-grade teacher at the time, received a Don Keele Award grant to raise chickens from eggs. When Nelson took a job at another academy, Robbie Wheeling, science teacher, and Sherry Galvez, first- and second-grade teacher, teamed up to continue the project. In spring 2021, Wheeling built incubators and, together with student Nathan Castorena, built a full-size chicken coop.
Within a few months, first- and second-grade students cared for eggs in Galvez’s classroom in incubators, watched them hatch, named them and later transferred them to the outdoor coop. Later in fall 2021, Sharon Cutz’s fifth- and sixth-grade class raised more eggs into chickens, who joined the flock.
Now producing eggs for the community, these chickens truly are contributing members of the campus. The elementary students still visit them from time to time and call them by their names. Students in seventh and eighth grade collect the eggs. The high school gardening class feeds them, and once a month, a group of high school students performs the service of giving the coop a thorough cleaning! Eggs are available at the front desk to purchase, and Jose Galvez, pastor, helps sell and distribute eggs to the Stayton community.
Future plans for the chickens include being a subject for study for all classes, both elementary and high school, and in the meantime, the chickens continue to give back, not only through eggs, but in fertilizing in the garden and reducing pests.
Whether watching the wonder of developing life or serving their community and learning how to be caretakers of God’s creation, students at LAA are learning valuable STEM skills right now that they can apply in their bright future.
Abby holds a chicken as Cameron and Belle look on.
Cameo holds the chicken she raised from an egg.
