The Talented and Gifted students at Bethlehem Elementary School have adopted a cow! Samantha is a Holstein dairy calf who was born on September 11 at the Mountain Dairy in Storrs. She is part of the national Adopt a Cow program through Discover Dairy.

Samantha lives on the farm with her host family, and BES students will follow her journey as she grows. This Adopt a Cow program allows these students to learn all about their cow, including how much she weighs – 75 pounds – and how tall she is – 31 inches and how she is cared for by her farmer.

The Adopt a Cow program is an interactive, cross-curricular, multi-leveled program designed to demonstrate where milk comes from and the many ways dairy farms contribute to our world. Students will get quarterly updates on Samantha’s progress, including photos, activity sheets, and lessons to follow on animal health, milk quality and safety, dairy in the community, and nutrition. In the spring, the TAG group will participate in a live chat with the farmer and meet Samantha virtually.

The program offers these students an exciting opportunity to explore dairy farming and animal care and celebrate farming in our community. At a recent TAG session, students also discussed the career of a veterinarian and heard about VO-AG programs, 4H, and FFA.