Eastern Lebanon County School District held its first Ag Day on Saturday, as the district prepares for the construction of a Legacy Barn to house animals cared for by students studying agriculture.
The event, superintendent Julia Vicente explained, serves both to educate the community about the importance of agriculture and raise support for the barn, which is now under construction.
“Today, while it is the ELCO Ag Day, it is also about educating our community about the benefits of agriculture,” said Vicente. “Agriculture is one of the top employers in the county, so this is a way to educate our community about the benefits of agriculture.”
She said the barn, expected to be almost 9,500 square feet, should be completed in the fall. It may be in use as soon as next spring, she said.
The barn is funded primarily by donations, both monetary and of materials or labor, Vicente said. The district is also seeking grant funding and plans to use Career and Technical Education funding through the agricultural education program. According to the district’s website, no taxpayer funds will be used for the barn’s construction.
The barn will be used for the Supervised Ag Experience for students who do not have the capacity for livestock at home, Vicente explained. High school ag students will be able to raise livestock and show them at events like the Lebanon Area Fair, while younger students will visit the barn for field trips. The barn will also be used for clinics, events, and workshops.
“We have a lot of kids who want to show animals but may not live on a working farm, and we have great farmers who will work with our students that they can put their animals there,” said Vicente. “This will give an opportunity for some students to actually have their animals here and practice that.”
During a pitch last year, ag science teacher Madison Balthaser estimated that of the 120 students in the ag program annually, less than 10 have a farm at home. The barn is planned to give students experience working directly with livestock, including arena space to prepare students for showing animals.
Read More: (May 2025) ELCO students pitch barn project to boost hands-on agriculture education
ELCO has a large amount of students who go into agriculture, Vicente explained. The barn, she said, will help to prepare students to further study agriculture or enter the workplace in ag after graduation.
“A lot of what we’re doing is the work ethic and the skills we teach through [Future Farmers of America], the leadership, the showmanship, the responsibility,” said Vicente. “A lot of this also ties directly into preparing kids for what happens after they graduate. So when you think about the skills that employers want to see, this is that opportunity to actually practice it through agriculture.”
More photos from Ag Day
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