The Town of Star Valley Ranch and Etna Elementary sixth graders combined for a learning opportunity in April.

Students in Adele Helgesen’s sixth grade class studied, wrote and spoke to town regulations regarding chickens and ducks.

“Ms. Helgesen reached out to our town as she was in the midst of a teaching unit with her sixth-graders on argumentative writing,” explained Star Valley Ranch Mayor Ru Rok.  “Some of her students, who live in Star Valley Ranch, wanted to write about not being able to have chickens and ducks in town and why they thought the current municipal laws should be changed.”

The topic developed into an essay assignment for the students.

With essays completed, the topic moved to the discussion phase with Mayor Rok and SVR Town Administrator Trevor Aitken joining the students for a review, followed by questions and answers.

The mayor and administrator prepared for the session with the students.

“Town Administrator Aitken and I read all of the student essays, probably about 30 of them, and Ms. Helgesen then invited us to talk to her class about the issue that they are trying to change.”

The youth sought approval for poultry and other small livestock animals on the ranch. The mayor noted, “She also asked us to talk to the students about local government and how they can get more involved.”

The mayor and administrator explained the process of municipal government. “Trevor and I spoke to the class about our form of local government (Mayor-Council) and how local laws are established as well as the process for making changes to those laws,” she said. “We also touched on the somewhat added complication at the Ranch of having a town formed from a single homeowners’ association (HOA) where residents have town laws, but they have HOA rules too.”

Both the mayor and administrator addressed the complications that come with growth. “We further spoke about the potential for future growth of the town with the possibility of new residents not being part of the existing HOA and therefore broadening the scope of current laws to be less restrictive to allow backyard poultry.”

Ultimately both the mayor and administrator were pleased with the Etna visit.

“The kids were terrific and had some very insightful arguments and questions,” she said. “My favorite being – “It’s called ‘the Ranch’ and yet we can’t have any farm animals, why is that?’ ”

Etna Elementary Sixth Grade Teacher Adele Helgesen explained the topic and how it was included as part of the instruction in the class.

“I used a local issue to support instruction in my 6th-grade classroom during our argumentative writing unit,” Helgesen explained. “I wanted students to explore a topic they felt passionate about, so we began by discussing changes they would like to see in their own world. This made the learning immediately relevant and meaningful.”

As students reviewed the topics, they brought up the concerns about poultry regulations at Star Valley Ranch.

“During this discussion, two students brought up a local concern about not being allowed to raise chickens and ducks in their town, Star Valley Ranch,” she recalled. They expressed strong feelings about wanting this rule to change, and many of their classmates agreed that the situation was unfair. This created a natural opportunity for an authentic writing task, and we decided as a class to write argumentative letters to the mayor.”

The teacher continued, “As we began the writing process, students had thoughtful questions about the law that I could not fully answer. To provide accurate information, I reached out to the mayor of Star Valley Ranch, who shared the specific ordinance with us.”

Helgesen noted “Once students read the actual law, their engagement and passion grew even stronger. They began analyzing the wording, questioning its fairness, and thinking critically about how it could be changed.”

The teacher commended the town’s mayor and administrator for their classroom visit to Etna.

“The town representatives were incredibly supportive—they came to speak with the class, explained the reasoning behind the law, and helped students understand the steps involved in creating change. This real-world connection made the learning experience even more powerful.”

Helgesen concluded, “As a teacher, I saw a significant increase in student motivation and ownership. Students were eager to participate, strengthen their arguments, and revise their writing with purpose.”

She continued, “More importantly, they began to see themselves as active members of their community. By using a local issue and involving the town, students learned that their voices matter and that they have the ability to advocate for change in the world around them.”