A local resident is proof you may grow up, but never too old for Show and Tell.
In 1982, a young Crystal Sorrell was featured in the Advocate for what she brought to Show and Tell for her Mapleton kindergarten class. Accompanied by the headline “The Goat That Came To School,” Crystal was photographed with her goat surrounded by classmates.
“When Crystal Dawn Sorrell ... brings something to school for Show and Tell, she doesn’t do it halfway. ... The children loved the surprise and fed him hay and corn,” the Advocate reported, noting Crystal enlisted the assistance of her grandfather, Buford Sorrell, for the Show and Tell event.
Fast forward a little more than 40 years and not much has changed. While Crystal grew up and married (she now goes by Crystal Sorrell-Amburgey), her love for animals remains the same.
In fact, her entre life has been dedicated to farm life and agriculture.
Instead of show and tell involving a goat, these days she travels with her alpaca, Reese, to local schools.
The pair made four separate visits during “All In for Ag Education Week” March 16-20.
Crystal is a Montgomery County Farm Bureau agent. Farm Bureau volunteers read ag-related books to elementary students during the ag week initiative.
“I wanted to make the experience even more memorable by bringing Reese along.”
Reese is a female alpaca that was born on Crystal and Byron Amburgey’s Montgomery County farm and will celebrate her second birthday Aug. 14.
“She loves life on the farm alongside Willie, my 3-year-old llama, and we’re excited to be welcoming two more alpacas (Blanche and Bean),” Crystal told the Advocate.
Crystal said she shared on social media she and Reese were available to visit local elementary schools and the response was immediate.
She and Reese traveled to Mapleton, Mt. Sterling and Northview elementaries as well as Christian Traditional School.
Crystal spoke with students on how you care for an alpaca and read “The Most Wonderful Dream.”
“At the end, students were able to pet Reese, which quickly became their favorite part,” Crystal told the Advocate. “Their reactions were priceless. Smiles lit up their faces as they looked at Reese and said things like, ‘She’s so soft,’ and ‘I’ve never seen an alpaca before.’”
One parent even messaged Crystal afterward to say her daughter was so inspired she repeated every detail of the presentation at home.
“My goal was to introduce students to an animal they might not see in nearby fields but one that still plays an important role in agriculture.”
For Crystal, things have truly come full circle.
“I’ve always loved sharing my animals with others. It felt especially meaningful to return to a kindergarten classroom—more than 40 years after I brought my own goat to share with my class as a child. Moments like these remind me that while I may take for granted the joy of being around these incredible animals every day, for others it’s a brand new and unforgettable experience.”
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