Around 80 grade-ten students from Carman, Miami, and Elm Creek schools attended the eighth annual Carman Agro-Ecology Day, organized by Prairie Rose School Division (PRSD). The event took place at the Ian N. Morrison Research

Kelby Drury, grade-ten student from Elm Creek. Farm, a University of Manitoba research and training station.

"The biggest value is making the connection beyond the school," said Nick Verras, the career development leader at the PRSD. Verras said the event could open up doors for students to find a meaningful and highly valued career.

Split up into small groups, students moved through several stations set up at the research centre including soil, water, insects, etc. Each station was presented by staff of the centre who shared important agricultural knowledge to both educate and pique the students' interest.

One young man, Kelby Drury from Elm Creek, grew up working on his Dad's and Grandfather's small cattle farm and plans to make his own way into the agriculture industry.

"Going into [agriculture], I want to keep it small but sustainable," said Drury."I have a pet peeve against large farms, " he added, "where the animal is raised as a product and not as an animal. I like working with animals and knowing what I'm doing is right and not just for the dollar."

Drury plans to investigate summer positions to increase his agriculture knowledge and expertise.

The water station featured a rain simulator which doused a number of soil and crop samples which students were asked to identify.