Students ‘adopt’ Minnesota cow named Pearl

WASHOUGAL — First-grade students at Gause Elementary recently added a new class pet to the ranks: a Holstein calf. Teacher Marvina Bugajski was inspired after hearing about the Discover Dairy Adopt a Calf program over the summer. After signing up, the class was assigned to a farm, Tauer Dairy in Hanska, Minn. The class was then introduced virtually to their calf, Pearl. Over six months, David and Angie Tauer will send updates, including photos and videos to view, plus activity sheets. The experience culminates with a live session at the farm in April or May. “Most children have never lived on or even been to a farm,” Bugajski said. “They are so excited to have this experience and see how the farm is operated. They will learn about feeding and caring for cows and basically what goes on at a farm.” Bugajski said the program is perfectly suited to remote learning. “We might not have considered this opportunity if we were not already in a virtual classroom,” she said. The Tauer family have 250 milking cows on 480 acres. “I so appreciate the energy and commitment from our teachers to make this challenging situation into a positive experience for our students,” said Washougal School District Superintendent Mary Templeton. “I am proud of everyone’s efforts and the wonderful successes we are seeing as teachers offer new, unexpected opportunities in this remote environment.”