OXFORD – Oxford Academy’s annual School Fair returns Friday, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Similar in concept to the county fair, the school will host 25 different exhibits run by the students, and it’s open to the public. There will be exhibits featuring art, animals, demonstrations and products from local businesses such as Kutik’s honey and Cornell Cooperative Extension.
Primary school students who are not participating will head down to the fair in the morning, while middle schoolers will attend in the afternoon, and high schoolers may go whenever they have a free period.
The fair is run by members of Oxford’s FFA chapter and the student government and takes place on the high school campus. There will be a wood chipper brought in, a scavenger hunt, as well as a fake cow for students who wish to practice their milking skills.
Oxford teachers Margo Barrows and Crystal Aukema began organizing this year’s fair during the summer. “We invested a lot of time this year to make the fair bigger than ever,” said Barrows. Due to their early start, the two teachers have been able to secure more exhibitors of a greater variety than previous years.
Barrows has been involved in Oxford’s school fair since she was in primary school herself during the 1980s and has brought something to the fair every year. Around five years ago, in an effort to proliferate the spirit of the fair, Barrows clad herself in a sheep suit and riled up the primary schoolers’ enthusiasm, successfully compelling them to get involved. This year Barrows said she will be showcasing two horses and a donkey.
The brand-new junior FFA subsection of the Oxford chapter, comprised for primary schoolers, will also be manning boths and bringing in animals from home. They will be responsible for a least one goat, as well as a number of ducks, and the administration of craft exhibits.
Most of the animals in the school fair are brought in by students who proudly display their critters before a panel of judges. Winners will earn ribbons and some lucky students will receive candy to show the school’s appreciation. Some of the students bringing in larger animals will ride them to school, but once at the fair they will be on ‘patrol,’ taking responsibility for their furry friends needs throughout the day.
There will be around eight different types of animals including pigs, ducks, goats, rabbits, horses, donkeys, cows, and maybe even a mule depending on whether or not the owner can get off from work.
“Come see the fair,” said Barrows. “It’s a chance for the community to see the product of the students’ hard work. Most of the time sports receive the majority of the spotlight, but the fair is a chance for other hard-working kids to showcase their hard work.”
Barrows says another purpose of the fair is to teach kids there is more to agriculture than just farming – it is also about growing your own food. The fair conveys a strong message of self-reliance that can teach students lessons extending far beyond the confines of agriculture. It is also a chance to expose and support local businesses, she said.