BUSD renews Rawhide Ranch internship program

Joe Naiman

Village News Reporter

The Bonsall Unified School District approved an agreement with Rawhide Ranch for a 12-week veterinarian and animal science internship program for BUSD students in fourth through eighth grades.

A 5-0 BUSD board vote Wednesday, Oct. 19, approved the new agreement with Rawhide Ranch. Under the agreement up to 24 students will participate in the program which actually began Friday, Sept. 16, and will run through Friday, Dec. 9. The students will participate in the program Friday afternoons from 1-4 p.m.

“We’re thrilled for the second year to provide this animal science internship for our students,” BUSD superintendent Joseph Clevenger said. “The power of hands-on learning and internship is tremendous, and we’re just very excited to continue to provide these opportunities.”

The program is called Rawhide Ranch Days and emphasizes livestock animal science and horsemanship. The subjects include safety protocols and handling, grooming procedures, stable management, animal first aid, anatomy, nutrition and dairy production.

“There are a lot of businesses in our area that have done very well working with animals,” Clevenger said.

Clevenger said that many internship programs do not begin as early as fourth grade.

“We’re very proud of these opportunities we’re giving to our students at a very early age,” he said.

Rawhide Ranch is charging the school district $32 per student per session, which equates to $9,216 and covers all activities.

Joe Naiman can be reached by email at [email protected].