And the 2023 National Excellence in Teaching About Agriculture Award goes to… Jessica Rettler. She’s one of seven teachers to get the recognition.
Rettler is a fourth-grade educator at Tri-County Elementary School in Plainfield. She received the 2023 Wisconsin Agriculture in the Classroom Outstanding Educator in December 2022.
“These outstanding teachers recognize that agriculture also is a perfect foundation for teaching biology, chemistry, climatology, math, and literacy, in ways that any age or level of students can understand, value and apply to their daily life,” says Dr. Dionne Toombs, acting director of USDA-NIFA, which provides federal leadership and annual funding for the National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization.
Rettler has found a variety of ways to share the multifaceted world of agriculture with students and their families. Through discussions of current agriculture-related topics, experiencing agriculture hands-on through making ice cream and fruit smoothies, sampling real maple syrup, and taking field trips to local farms, she brings agriculture to life for her students.
See a previous story from Mid-West Farm Report on Rettler’s accomplishments: https://www.midwestfarmreport.com/2022/12/24/rettler-named-outstanding-educator/
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