Lucindale in South Australia may not be known as a major dairying area but the local school is producing some the industry's brightest young talent.
On January 17, Lucindale Area School's team came up trumps over eight other schools in the International Stage for the Cows Create Careers Competition at International Dairy Week at Tatura, Vic.
Held for the first time it is an extension of the long-running Cows Create Careers program, which has given schools an opportunity to look after two calves for three weeks and provides a range of curriculum material.
Lucindale Area School has had plenty of recent success as the national winner of the junior section in 2022 and a national finalist again last year.
LAS special programs coordinator and ag teacher Lucinda Smith said she was proud of their students who gave up a couple of days of their school holidays and threw themselves into three challenges at IDW.
Late last year to be selected they produced a short video about why dairy products are essential in people's lives.
At IDW they added a 30-second introduction and 30-second conclusion to these pitches.
The next challenge was to interact as a team with the stall holders at IDW to answer questions about the dairy industry.
The final race to the finish was a series of practical challenges including mixing a milk powder and using maths to work out the formulation, making a styrofoam cow and putting a kit wheel barrow together.
"They put in the effort and practised and worked hard on their video and in the competition they were very focused especially when they saw the size of the trophy and consistent performers," Ms Smith said.
She said it had broadened the horizons of the Year 9, 10 and 11 students in the team on the diversity of careers in the industry.
She was grateful to the Cows Create Careers organisers Jaydee Events and sponsors.
"We do a bit with cattle, sheep and aquaculture and then have the ecoshelter with pigs but Cows Create Careers is the only opportunity for dairy and it is such an important part of the ag industry," she said.
Jaydee Events managing director Deanne Kennedy said the aim was to help students build connections with farmers at the Australian dairy industry's biggest week.
"It is about empowering those interested in dairying to take the next step and meet and greet but vice versa it also gives the industry confidence there are young people that love the industry as much as we do and do want to work through vocational and professional career pathways," she said.
She said they were overwhelmed by sponsorship which covered all the travel and accommodation costs of the competing teams to come from across Australia and is hopeful it will become an annual event.
"We always wanted to start small thinking we would have five or six schools but we had such strong interest with 25 schools applying we decided to take nine schools," she said.
For its win Lucindale Area School has received $3000 which Ms Smith says will enable them to put up some new fencing and improve the shelter, which houses the calves on loan to the school.
Two other SA schools - Kingston Community School and Nuriootpa High School - were also among the nine finalists.
