RICHLAND COUNTY, S.C. — A bovine beauty named Teddy Bear Gram is the newest addition to W.J. Kennan High School's Agriculture and Animal Science class.
Normally a mini cow is not what you would expect to find on a Richland One curriculum, but it's not a run-of-the-mill encounter for students like Laila.
"I've always had a love for animals, but I've never been exposed to something like this. Being able to interact and take care of them," said Laila.
Maria Ausburn teaches the Agriculture and Animal Science class at Keenan. She says Teddy is already making history.
"I know for a fact he's got to be the only urban setting one because I'm pretty sure I'm the only agriculture program in an urban setting, being like 15 minutes from the state capitol," said Ausburn.
Teddy was rejected by his mother in Ridgeland shortly after birth, so the high school spent $500 to bring the calf to the animal science program. He's being taken care of by Ausburn and her students.
'We started this week adding grain to his diet to start getting him ready for that transition off the bottle. So next week, he'll go down to two bottles a day and then get grain. Then try to get him on some hay and foliage, and then students will work on halter breaking him," says Ausburn.
Laila, along with her classmates, has been with Teddy every step of the way.
"I was one of the people who went on the trip to get him. He started off kind of rocky because he had a little attitude,," says Laila. "I put him in the car, and he peed immediately. Other than that, he's a sweetheart."
But Teddy isn't the only farm animal at Keenan. Since the program started, students have cared for all the animals on campus, like dogs, donkeys, chickens, and goats.
"Out here, we make sure the animals are fed. We make sure their waters are kept up. We keep up with the maintenance, make sure they're comfortable, and healthy," says Laila.
With this new legendary adventure, Ausburn and her students are ready for the new challenge.
"We're glad to have him here. He's great. And he's so kind. And when he gets older, he'll be so used to these kids that they'll be able to do almost anything with him," says Ausburn.
The agriculture program consists of four courses that embody animal science, which includes livestock, small animals, and dog grooming. In addition to learning practical skills, students can receive official certification from OSHA for their work before graduation.