This story is part of a series of “meet & greets” with individuals who use our Adopt a Cow program to inspire you with the endless ways you can incorporate the program in the classroom and beyond!

Alex Layshock teaches elementary and middle school students in a primarily urban area of Arizona. We sat down with her for a quick Q&A about how the Adopt A Cow program is opening her students up to potential career opportunities in agriculture.

How long have you participated in Adopt A Cow? What made you decide to sign up for it?

“This was my first full year participating in Adopt A Cow. I loved the local connection and being able to touch on an important agricultural industry for Arizona.”

What are the demographics of your students?

“Our school is in an urban area with about 265 students. Our student population is 80% Hispanic with 30% of our students being English language learners. Our student population is also 19% special education with two self-contained programs that uniquely service medically fragile and developmentally delayed students.”

How have you connected your adopted calf to your classroom?

“My students have loved feeling connected to our cow knowing she is from a local farm. They really look forward to the monthly updates, and she comes up in conversation or lessons organically all the time. An exciting moment was when we found out that our cow was going to be showing at our county fair. The students were so excited at the possibility of seeing her in person.”

Why do you think it’s important for students to learn where their food comes from?

“It’s important for students to learn about agriculture, because it’s a potential career path that is crucial. There are so many opportunities in ag, especially in Arizona. Through my class, I really want the kids to understand the time, effort, and resources that go into getting our food onto our plates. I have seen amazing growth in their open-mindedness and respect for animals and food through teaching about agriculture.”

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The Adopt a Cow Program is now open for enrollment through January 31 for the 2026-27 school year! Click here to learn more and adopt a cow for your classroom today. Sign up by September 1 to receive a mailed welcome packet. The program, which impacted more than 2.1 million students last school year, is free thanks to support from Discover Dairy partners and donors.

Discover Dairy is an educational series managed by the Center for Dairy Excellence Foundation of Pennsylvania in partnership with American Dairy Association Northeast, American Dairy Association Indiana, Midwest Dairy, The Dairy Alliance, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, Dairy Management West, Dairy West, New England Dairy, American Dairy Association Mideast, Dairy Council of Florida, and Maine Dairy and Nutrition Council.