Progressive Swine Technologies

In The News

Piglet gives students at St. Bons a lesson

By ERIC FREEMAN, The Columbus Telegram
Sunday, December 23, 2007

Columbus, NE - Third-grade students at St. Bonaventure Elementary School could hardly contain their excitement when Brett Bonwell and Crystal Olson of Progressive Swine Technologies announced they had a 12-pound piglet to show them.

The two arrived in Mrs. Romberg's science classroom and began their new youth education program by testing the students' knowledge of pigs.

"What do you know about pigs?," Olson asked.

"They're pigs!," one student shouted. "They're smelly!"

"They make pork, like hot-dogs and bacon, another called out.

Bonwell, the father of Jake Bonwell, one of the students, asked, "What is a football made out of?" "Pig skin! - Ewwww!" was the answer.

As the two swine experts posed their questions the students began straining in their seats, anticipating the opening of the large plastic tub and the revelation of the 18-day-old piglet.

The children guessed the estimated weight of a pig at birth, 18 days and six months and were taught about the words farrow, gilt and sow.

Finally the time came to open the tub and the aura of controlled chaos descended on the room. The student's names were called and they came forward to take their turn holding the piglet.

Amid the squealing from both children and the pigs, more questions were asked and answered, and many of the students enjoyed their first-ever experience with the important subject of livestock and agriculture in Nebraska.

"Holding that pig was pretty scary," said Megan Ohnoutka. "It's smelly. I saw a pig once at the state fair. It's cool to have this pig in class. It's shocking, and I was really surprised."

The opportunity to have the pig in class came about as part of Romberg's current science focus on animals and animal anatomy. The children were offered the opportunity to bring in unusual pets and Bonwell's connection to the swine industry made the perfect match and opportunity for the kids to learn more about agriculture and livestock production.

"There is a real need for education at the earlier grade levels," Olson said. "As the smaller family farms decrease, the disconnect between the youth and agriculture is increasing in Nebraska. This program is a way to teach the children about the importance of ag and livestock production that's going on all around them in Nebraska."

Olson is a recent gradate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln agriculture and journalism programs.