OTSELIC – Elementary students in the Otselic Valley School District will be able to cultivate their gardening skills thanks to a grant recently awarded by the Tractor Supply Company.

The school district was selected as one of just 55 schools in New York State to receive $500 from the Tractor Supply Company to participate in a pilot program called “Dig It.”

With a focus of getting students more in tune with agriculture – specifically food production – Dig It provides funding to schools to organize and develop a school garden where kids can learn hands-on how to grow and harvest vegetables.

The program also includes a comprehensive curriculum guide developed by National Agriculture in the Classroom to be used or modified by teachers.

According to OV elementary science teacher Sally Bucalo, the grant goes a long way in teaching her fourth and fifth grade classes about where food comes from.