College Visits and Cow Farms: Q&A with a Teen

April 17, 2019

On April 11, After School Matters Urban Agriculture & Entrepreneurship program (a program that teaches teens about the business of urban agriculture and allows them to run a small business within their program) embarked on a weekend visit to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. One teen in the program is Monserat R.—a 14-year-old freshman at Lane Tech High School from the Back of the Yards neighborhood. Monserat wrote about her experience visiting UW-Madison and how the visit is influencing her future plans. Read below to hear her story.

What is your favorite thing about the Urban Agriculture & Entrepreneurship program?

The fact that they let us do things for ourselves. Harold (our instructor) gives us the problem and we have to solve it ourselves. He won’t do it for us, but if we get stuck he helps us figure out where we went wrong and teaches us how to fix it.

What was your favorite part about visiting UW-Madison?

Either visiting the dorms or the cow farm. I know saying “the dorms” is a little weird, but I actually really liked seeing them because it let me see what college life would feel like. Not having your own bathroom, having to stay with strangers—it helps you adapt.

And, well, the cow farm was a whole thing on its own. I really enjoyed looking at the cows and touching them. Most of all though, I had fun when we were able to put our hands inside a live cow’s stomach. It felt really weird, but it was actually a lot of fun.

What was something you learned during the weekend?

How much work it all is. Between deciding your major and having to get used to the dorms, your classes, and the people—it all seems kind of hard. But it was also great to be able to see how happy people are being able to say that they went through all of that to become who they are now.

Is UW-Madison a school you might want to attend after you graduate high school?

Madison is going to be one of my choices when it’s time for me to apply to colleges. I really liked the school and the environment I saw there. It seemed like a great school, and I would love to go there.

 

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