What: Two classes of third graders from Sacramento's Fairbanks Elementary School will get up-close-and-personal with a variety of farm animals when they tour UC Davis livestock barns as the highlight of a semester-long educational outreach program, provided by the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine through a collaboration with School/University Partnerships. The barn tour caps off the vet school's "Animal Ambassadors" program, designed to interest students in science by using the world of animals to introduce them to concepts and subject matter. When: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 31 Where: Students will board buses in Parking Lot 30, west of the campus Recreation Pool for a tour of the dairy, horse barn and hog barn. Reporters may join the bus tour or follow behind in their own vehicles. Visuals: Students interacting with cows, horses and pigs. Classroom presentations of the Animal Ambassadors program can be viewed at Fairbanks Elementary on May 23 and 25. For details, contact Matt Ford at (530) 754-9223. Background: Hoping to interest children in science, the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine this year initiated the "Animal Ambassadors" curriculum, now being presented to Sacramento and Los Angeles area elementary school students and 4-H members. "The program is designed to teach kids about care and responsibility for both domestic and wild animals," explained Martin Smith, director of Animal Ambassadors. "At the same time we hope to help them develop critical thinking skills and encourage them to explore future career options." This semester, Animal Ambassadors has been hosted at Fairbanks Elementary School by third grade teachers Michael Hamilton and Silvia Hanna. UC Davis students, mentoring Grant High School students, have presented programs to the third graders focused on everything from wild animal habitats to family pets. Although emphasizing science and the environment, Animal Ambassadors aims to be a cross-curricular program, also weaving in geography, art, math and reading. Directions and Parking: From Interstate 80, take Highway 113 north toward Woodland. Exit at the first opportunity, turning right onto Hutchison Drive. Turn left onto Extension Center Drive, the first street on your left. Immediately turn right into Parking Lot 30. To park free, place a media business card on the dashboard of your vehicle.