cwa gets help from a unique high school class

The Dixon High School taxidermy course was started by Ag teacher John Ramos after he noticed a particular enthusiasm from students about his taxidermy lesson. He was able to get approval from the school board for a Wildlife Art (taxidermy) class, and later secured funding for the class through a grant for “unusual” courses. This course certainly is unusual and has been adopted and approved by the Solano County Regional Occupation Center as an ROP course.

The students spend a lot of the year working on mounts donated by hunters: deer, elk, and even a few bears. They learn about all different styles of taxidermy, its uses, and its history. While some students wrinkle their noses at the smell and reluctantly dig into the “dirty” work, when asked about their least favorite part of the class the overwhelming response is “book work!” Clearly this class is worthwhile to students because it breaks up the high school day of lectures, lessons, and worksheets; the hands-on experience offers a change of pace, but the students are also gaining a valuable skill which many plan to use throughout their lives.

Several of the students are already avid hunters and anglers and are looking forward to using their taxidermy skills to save money on mounts. Others are even hoping to make some money by selling their taxidermy skills to friends. A few students might make a career out of taxidermy. Every student is required to be a member of the Future Farmers of America and put their finished mounts on display at fairs and festivals. One thing is certain: the students are willing to put their skills to good use and readily spend extra time in and out of class to help CWA with our taxidermy needs.

The skulls that the students are preparing are among the most valuable parts of CWA’s education resources. The skulls are included in 58 Wild About Wetland Kits located all over Northern California, which serve thousands of students each year. The skulls also travel to festivals, science fairs, and many other events in our Wetland Wizard kits, which allow kids to use the skulls to identify adaptations for different diets. The skulls are also used at CWA educational events such as Marsh Madness, in which elementary students spend a fun and education-filled day at a local marsh. By the time the Dixon High School class has completed their work, the students will have logged over 120 hours of volunteer work for CWA, adding dozens of these skulls to the priceless collection.