If Old Man Winter and everything that comes with it has you down this Monday in February, we here at MinnesotaCornerstone are here to cheer you up.
Actually, Maizey — the lovable and always-happy-no-matter-what Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA) mascot — the team at the Twin Cities Road Crew and the students and Richard Green Central Elementary School in South Minneapolis are here to cheer you up.
With support from MCGA, Maizey and the TC Road Crew visited Richard Green Elementary on Friday for a corn-themed morning assembly filled with dancing, prizes, games and all sorts of farm-related fun. Mixed in with all that fun, the kids learned about the importance of corn farming and agriculture — lessons that will stick with them for life and that they’ll share at home with their non-farming moms, dads, brothers and sisters.
So, if you’re feeling the winter blues today, check out these photos from last week’s event. Seeing kids dancing with a giant corn cob mascot while learning about farming is a great way to start the week!
Students at Richard Green Central Park Elementary School in South Minneapolis gathered in the gymnasium for a corn-themed assembly last Friday. The assemblies are one way Minnesota corn farmers use check-off funds to connect with a young, non-farming, urban audience with a positive message about corn and agriculture.
With support from MCGA, the Twin Cities Road Crew puts on corn-themed school assemblies throughout the Twin Cities metro area. Maizey is always a huge hit. Here is Maizey coming out to dance last Friday during the assembly at Richard Green Elementary.
There’s a lot more to each assembly than dancing and music. Students learn about the importance of corn and how hard farmers work to provide food, feed, fiber and fuel for a growing world population. Here, students raise their hands to participate in a game where they have to sort through several consumer products like crayons, shoes and diapers to determine which products contain corn as an ingredient.
Gettin’ down with Maizey! Each assembly lasts about an hour and includes several opportunities for the kids to dance with Maizey.
When each assembly ends, it’s time to say goodbye to Maizey and the Twin Cities Road Crew. Before they go, each student receives a corn goodie bag stuffed with products made from corn and other fun things related to corn and farming.
Oh, what the heck. There’s always time for one more picture with Maizey!
On behalf of all Minnesota corn farmers, thank you to the staff at Richard Green Central Elementary for hosting the assembly. These assemblies are a great way for corn farmers to connect with young people who probably have never been on a farm or seen a combine in action.
MCGA, Maizey and the TC Road Crew will be doing several more assemblies in the metro area throughout the winter and spring.