Spanish 4 students visit Prairie Central Alpacas

Students visited the business in Earlville

Shaw Local News Network

Putnam County High School Spanish 4 students visited Prairie Central Alpacas and Alpacas Store in Earlville after completing a unit on alpacas.

Spanish teacher Helen Lenkaitis said alpacas are an integral of Latin American culture and history.

Alpacas are native to the Andes Mountains and have been used for their fiber, meat and as pack animals for centuries. Alpaca fiber is known for being soft and warm and is used to make clothing and textiles.

Lenkaitis said that part of teaching a foreign language is to encourage connections by exploring other disciplines and acquiring information and diverse perspectives in order to use the language to function in academic and career-related situations.

Prairie Central Alpacas Owner Gloria Sampson spoke to the students about nutrition, health management, origin and breeds of alpacas, selection and breeding, fiber, color, crimp, quality, training and showing.

On the trip, students were able to see products that are made from alpaca such as hats, gloves, socks, scarves, blankets, sweaters and more.