This year, Linda Vista Adventist Elementary School (LVAES) introduced its very own Chicken Club, where students take care of their own chicken and learn practical skills, such as tracking income and expenses, profit and loss, and caretaking responsibilities.
The Chicken Club is one of the ways LVAES is prioritizing whole child education, a system that “ensures each child, in each school, in each community is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged.”*
“Living in Southern California, it can be a busy, fast-paced lifestyle, and we want to do as much as we can to connect our kids to nature,” said Jonathan Fox, LVAES principal. “We’re looking for ways we can connect learning to real life and have hands-on opportunities.”
The idea for the club formed two years ago when a then-sixth grader raised more than $600, simply because he wanted to have chickens at school. COVID-19 delayed its official start, but the club currently has 12 members and 14 chickens. On the days students take care of their chickens, they’re able to keep any eggs laid.
The Chicken Club is open to all ages. Students can apply to join and pay $5 per month to participate. Kindergarten through second grade students share a class chicken, and third through eighth grade students take care of their personal chicken.
“My vision is for school to be more than just school, but to create an exciting place for them to be,” added Fox. “When all their needs are met, they do a lot better in the classroom.”
