Lehighton Area Middle School family and consumer science students will get a hands-on curricular experience with beef and veal in the upcoming school year thanks to a state grant.

The district’s school board on Monday night approved a $150 “PA Beef and Veal in the Classroom” grant.

“We just recently learned of this, but it will be a great opportunity for our students,” acting superintendent Jack Corby said. “We’ll be able to get beef and veal for the family and consumer science classrooms in sixth through eighth grade and the students will learn how to pick out the right cuts, the different ways you can buy it from a butcher and that sort of thing.”

The Pennsylvania Beef Council, which oversees the program, said it reinforces lessons about lean beef and veal selection, storage, preparation and nutrition.

“I think this will be very beneficial to students,” Board President Jeremy Glaush said. “I know a lot of times we walk into a store to buy a piece of steak but we don’t really know the difference between them all. This will also help students make healthier choices along the way.”