LIBERTY STUDENT ATTENDS SPECIAL AG PROGRAM

 LIBERTY STUDENT ATTENDS SPECIAL AG PROGRAM
                                                                      


  LIBERTY--Fifteen-year-old Liberty Central School sophomore Dustyn Kratz recently attended an Iowa State University AgDiscovery program that proved to be a unique opportunity for students to gain a first-hand look at the many paths open to them in the agricultural sciences.

  Dustyn was one of 16 students selected from 83 applicants from 13 different states around the country who applied for the program.
  The program lasted for two weeks and was part of the sixth annual United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) sponsored AgDiscovery program  held at Iowa State University (ISU).

  In his local community of Liberty Dustyn is involved in Boy Scouts, several 4-H groups and plays football and indoor and outdoor track at Liberty Central.
  He has always had an interest in animals and has wanted to become a veterinarian since he was five-years-old and going to AgDiscovery only confirmed this.

  At the AgDiscovery program Kratz gained knowledge designed to help high school students learn about careers in plant and animal science and wildlife management.

  The program allowed students to live on a college campus and learn about agriculture from university professors and scientists in a variety of fields.

  Kratz said that the focus of ISU's AgDiscovery program is the interconnections between wildlife biology and conservation, laboratory technology and diagnostics, animal science and veterinary medicine.

  As a partipant in this program Dustyn spent two weeks living at Eaton Hall on ISU's campus and visited facilities including Blank Prk Zoo, One Heart Equestrian Therapy. Reiman Gardens, Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, Iowa DNR Springbrook Conservation Education Center, Animal Rescue League, Iowa First Fish, C & M Acres Alpaca Farm, Obviously Ostriches, Summit Farms, Wild Rose Pastures, Cochran Goat Farm, Hawkeye Breeders Service, Che-Jak Llama Farm, Story City Locker, ISU Beef & Poultry Farm, ISU College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa Science  Center, Prairie Meadows Racetrack, USDA's National Center for Animal Health and the USDA Wildlife Services at Des Moines International Airport.

  Kratz received "hands on" experience in anatomy, bacteriology, hematology, immunology, embryology, animal necropsies, epidemiology and other veterinary diagnostic procedures.

  Dustyn also participated in diversity, character and team-building activities and visited the Iowa State Capitol and the Iowa Gold Star Museum.

  Dustyn is the son of John and Tara Kratz and is presently looking at several colleges that offer Veterinary Medicine.    

                                                                                         
                                                                   

Dustyn Kratz with his 4-H project at this years Little World's Fair in Grahamsville.