Like most Iowa kids, Tyler Vohs enjoyed quite a few snow days off from school this winter. But instead of spending a cozy day inside playing video games, Tyler bundled up in his winter gear and trudged outside to help his dad unfreeze water lines for their cattle.

A few weeks ago, Tyler got up extra early in the morning to check on a newborn calf before school started. He helped the little calf get up and around on her wobbly legs.

“We had to take good care of her for a while, because (the mom) had her in the middle of the night. Luckily, it wasn’t during a bad storm,” said Vohs, a seventh grader at Woodbury Central in Moville. “She had some trouble walking, like she wouldn’t stand up. But we were able to nurse her back to good health, and she’s doing good.”

Tyler is only 13 years old, but don’t let his shaggy haircut and freckled face fool you. Tyler is an...