Students in Resilience Academy’s Pegasus program traveled to Meadowbrook Farm in Wappingers Falls Oct. 10 to practice some of the things they are learning about in class and have some educational fun.
Community-based trips help transition class students practice skills such as learning to be appropriate and having conversations, practice paying for things and other life skills, Teacher Krystine Nardozzi said.
“It was great to see the kids asking about the animals and having conversations with the people who work at the farm,” she said.
This was the first trip of the year and involved 30 students total, including some from April Hart’s and Sheri Tompkins classes.
“I saw many animals - rabbits, chicks, goats, a baby cow and ducks,” Braedin Henry said. “I had an awesome day at the farm.”The animals were definitely a hit with the students, who all referenced one when they spoke about the trip.
“I liked the cows the best,” said Robert Popolizio, adding that he also picked apples.
For Austin Cichocki in Sheri Tompkins class, the goats made the biggest impression. “I got to feed the goat and he licked me,” Cichocki said, adding that he too, got to pick apples and pick out a pumpkin to take home. He hopes to make an apple pie, a pumpkin pie, or both at home.
In addition to the apples and a pumpkin, students were able to take home a gourd, eat a cider donut and drink apple cider while at the farm.
A variety of class lessons are associated with the trip. Before the trip, Nardozzi’s class read “Apple Pie Tree,” which talks about how a tree goes through changes and what happens to the apples at each stage. Post trip, all classes are going to do some form of science experiment with some of the pumpkins they brought back.
