Second grade classes gathered in the cafeteria at Penn Elementary School, eager to learn more about corn, a crop they have been learning about in class. Staff from the Food and Nutrition Department used local corn on the cob from Parker Farms in Virginia to teach the students the different parts of the crop, the importance of it, and the many ways corn products are used. The learning became even more exciting when students were able to get hands-on experience and serve as cornhuskers for the day.

“In second grade, students learn four contributions of American Indians within the social studies curriculum.  One of those contributions is the farming of corn,” shared Keisha Johnson, second grade teacher at Penn Elementary. “The activity was a good learning experience and the kids seemed to enjoy every minute of it!”

The excitement didn’t stop with the shucking, the students' hard work paid off. The corn that was shucked was cleaned, cooked, and served during the school lunch. The second graders were eager for everyone to try the corn they helped prepare. To thank the students for their hard work and the help they provided, cafeteria staff gave each student a bag of popcorn to enjoy.