Students learn about agriculture at Zion Lutheran School

Zion Lutheran School students in Owego recently participated in New York Agriculture in the Classroom (NYAITC) activities. The students, in kindergarten through sixth grade, learned about how grapes are grown and processed and enjoyed taste testing and comparing juice made from varieties of grapes grown in New York.  

This year’s Ag in the Classroom activities revolved around the children’s book, The Grapes Grow Sweet, written by Lynne Tuft and illustrated by Tessa DiCarlo.  After the grape juice taste tests were completed, a copy of the book was donated to both the second grade classroom and the Zion Lutheran School library.

Ag in the Classroom activities are made possible through a partnership with Cornell University, the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, the NYS Education Department, Cornell Cooperative Extension and the New York Farm Bureau.  

The Ag in the Classroom program fosters awareness, understanding, and appreciation of how food and fiber is produced. The program enables educators, students, and their communities to learn about and engage with agriculture and food systems.  

The program, now in its thirteenth year, provides agriculturally themed books and resources for thousands of classrooms and libraries throughout the state of New York. Visit http://agclassroom.org/ny/programs/literacy.htm to learn more about Ag in the Classroom.

Zion Lutheran School enrolls children from preschool- grade six in a Christ-centered environment with high academic standards in a loving, family-like atmosphere, and a great student/teacher ratio. Zion Lutheran School has an open enrollment policy for children of all denominations, races, color and ethnic origins. 

Located two miles out of downtown Owego, Zion serves the children of six local school districts including Owego-Apalachin, Candor, Newark Valley, Union Endicott, Tioga Center and parts of Vestal.  Busing is available for students from these districts.  

For more information about Zion, call 687-6376 or visit www.zionowego.org. You can also find Zion on Facebook.