Three kids in red t-shirts looking shocked, two with hands over their mouths.

FIELD TRIP

School is in session at CSU Spur.

Photography by Tanya Fabian | July 1, 2022

THE VIDA BUILDING OPENED AT CSU SPUR IN JANUARY, and thousands of K-12 students have visited since then to learn about animal and human health. There’s even more to experience at CSU Spur with the recent opening of Terra, a building for programs in food and agriculture. Hydro, with water programs, will open its doors to the public next January.

For information about free school tours, email [email protected]; bus reimbursements are available.

A line of children exit down the stairs of a school bus.
Kids in red shirts crowd around a large white cat statue.

First-graders from Westgate Community School in Thornton arrive at the Vida building in March for a morning of learning and greet a 9-foot-tall cat sculpture that meows, purrs, and hisses to teach visitors about animal behavior.

A line of children exit down the stairs of a school bus.

First-graders from Westgate Community School in Thornton arrive at the Vida building in March for a morning of learning.

Kids in red shirts crowd around a large white cat statue.

Schoolkids greet a 9-foot-tall cat sculpture that meows, purrs, and hisses to teach visitors about animal behavior.

Two kids look through a large glass window at an animal surgery suite.
Child with hand in the air in front of a glass window looking into a surgery suite.

Left: Two friends observe as a veterinarian preps for surgery at the Dumb Friends League Veterinary Hospital at CSU Spur. Medical procedures are on full display at the clinic, which provides donor-subsidized care for the pets of families who otherwise could not afford it. Right: Educators are on hand at the observation windows to provide age-appropriate information about veterinary procedures when kids have questions and reactions.

Two kids look through a large glass window at an animal surgery suite.

Two friends observe as a veterinarian preps for surgery at the Dumb Friends League Veterinary Hospital at CSU Spur. Medical procedures are on full display at the clinic, which provides donor-subsidized care for the pets of families who otherwise could not afford it.

Child with hand in the air in front of a glass window looking into a surgery suite.

Educators are on hand at the observation windows to provide age-appropriate information about veterinary procedures when kids have questions and reactions.

Two kids wear lab coats and hold clip boards.
Children in red shirts write on a clipboard in a mock veterinary clinic.

Children visit a mock veterinary clinic, where they view exhibits and learn to assess the health of dogs, cats, and horses – then fill out charts to describe the care they recommend.

Two kids wear lab coats and hold clip boards.

Children visit a mock veterinary clinic, where they view exhibits and learn to assess the health of dogs, cats, and horses.

Children in red shirts write on a clipboard in a mock veterinary clinic.

First-graders fill out charts in the mock veterinary clinic to describe the care they recommend.

Kids in red shirts sit on a bench in front of a large glass window; a woman in a Spur shirt and headset stands to the left.

Children peer down on the Temple Grandin Equine Center riding arena, where people with disabilities receive equine-assisted therapy.

Three kids stand in front of an exhibit with a lifelike horse tail.

Through an exhibit, children discover physical attributes and care for horses.

A child in a red and black plaid outfit wears a virtual reality headset.
Close up of a white dog resting its chin on the floor with a child raising her hand in the background.

Left: A child explores animal anatomy in Vida’s virtual reality classroom. Right: The first-graders learn how to safely interact with pets with help from Scout, a Dumb Friends League “ambassapet” in the nonprofit’s humane education program. 

A child in a red and black plaid outfit wears a virtual reality headset.

A child explores animal anatomy in Vida’s virtual reality classroom.

Close up of a white dog resting its chin on the floor with a child raising her hand in the background.

The first-graders learn how to safely interact with pets with help from Scout, a Dumb Friends League “ambassapet” in the nonprofit’s humane education program. 

Child in a red shirt stands with one hand raised in front of an interactive exhibit with a digital cat and horse.

A child learns about farm animals through an interactive digital display.

As seen from above, kids cluster around a large white cat statue with the CSU Spur logo in the foreground.
Children leave a building and walk towards a yellow school bus.

The kids bid goodbye to Vida’s popular cat sculpture, then board their school bus and head back to Westgate Community School.

As seen from above, kids cluster around a large white cat statue with the CSU Spur logo in the foreground.

Bidding goodbye to Vida’s popular cat sculpture.

Children leave a building and walk towards a yellow school bus.

The kids board their school bus and head back to Westgate Community School.

Photo at top: At the Dumb Friends League Veterinary Hospital, first-graders observe the removal of a mass during a dog’s surgery.

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