It's wild out there. 

Lexington Two students are learning about wildlife and the environment via classroom sessions presented by the S.C. Waterfowl Association.

On Tuesday, Chuck Underhill, representing House of Raeford’s FLOCK charitable arm donated $10,000 to help give the students more access their outdoor environment. The donation was made at the Lexington Two Innovation Center in Cayce.

“House of Raeford values education,” said Underhill, “and we invest as best we can in our local students to better our community.”

Casey Jordan Hallman, Lexington Two’s Power School Coordinator, said about 2,000 students, from grades three-through-five, are participating in hands-on, classroom learning. Topics include: waterfowl; reptiles, animals; and wetlands.

Dr. Bill James, former Lexington Two superintendent is on the Board of the SC Waterfowl Association and he was at the event to see a video that explained the House of Raeford grant and it showed students getting hands-on interaction with reptiles and waterfowl in the classroom. Joe Gonzalez, the Waterfowl Associations’ education director visits the district’s schools with live snakes and birds.

Another part of the program (in non-COVID years) is a visit for students to Camp Leopold. It’s described as an outdoor classroom where teachers engage students in a natural wildlife setting in Rimini in rural Sumter County. Busbee Creative Arts Academy Principal Stephanie Hucks has accompanied students to Camp Leopold and she said the nature-rich surroundings are an invaluable tool to teach about the environment.

Also at the presentation ceremony Tuesday were: Van Elliott; Waterfowl Association CEO; Anne Reamer L2IC Digital Multimedia/Animation Instructor; Bernie Adkins L2IC Assistant Director; and Tori Stewart, Waterfowl Association communication director.

FLOCK is an acronym for Faithful Love Offering for Christ’s Kingdom. As a nonprofit outreach program, FLOCK partners with charitable organizations to responsibly distribute resources—monetary gifts, product donations, and volunteer activities—to help meet the needs in communities where House of Raeford Farms has operations.