ITHACA, N.Y. — The state of New York is filled with educators who exude creativity and strive to weave agricultural concepts into their existing curriculum in order to create real-world connections for their students. New York Agriculture in the Classroom (NYAITC) identifies these exceptional teachers who incorporate learning through a lens of agriculture to such an extent as to merit statewide recognition as the Teacher of the Year. The Teacher of the Year Award celebrates educators who have recognized the need for incorporating agriculture into their classroom curriculum to provide authentic, hands-on learning experiences for their students. Nominations are currently being accepted for this award until Friday, November 6, 2020 with the application available on the NYAITC website.
Inspired and successful applications will show creativity and utilization of agricultural information, interdisciplinary approaches, student engagement, and the overall impact and longevity of the program. Teachers eligible for nomination include certified educators, or teams of teachers, currently engaged in classroom instruction in the Pre-K through 12th grade levels who are integrating agricultural concepts into traditionally non-agricultural curricula. Nominees should be providing opportunities for students to engage in, and study about agriculture, and utilizing innovative approaches to advancing agricultural literacy in the classroom.
For their excellence in teaching about agriculture in their classroom, the Teacher of the Year will be awarded an expense-paid scholarship to attend the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference in Des Moines, Iowa in June and an at-school recognition of the teacher and their accomplishments.
For more information and to apply for the Teacher of the Year program visit the New York Agriculture in the Classroom website at www.agclassroom.org/ny. New York Agriculture in the Classroom is a partnership of Cornell University, NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets, NYS Education Department, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and NY Farm Bureau. Working with Cooperative Extension educators, classroom teachers, and volunteers throughout the state, New York Agriculture in the Classroom fosters an awareness, understanding, and appreciation of our food and fiber system.
–New York Agriculture in the Classroom
For more articles out of New York, click here.