Page 5 - TTWISpring2023

Agriculture
teaching today Wisconsin | Spring 2023, Volume 1 Page 5

Wisconsin Educator Selected as 2023 national Excellence in teaching

About Agriculture Award recipient

by staying current on past and present agri-
cultural practices, as well as sharing personal
experiences and values from her family Agriculture in the Classroom Grants
farm. Casual conversations and well-planned
lessons are a part of her daily teaching. Rettler Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation’s • Madison Country Day School —
has integrated agriculture into almost every Agriculture in the Classroom program has “School Garden Revamp”
core subject allowing her students to improve awarded $4,000 to educators and agricul- • Walworth County Fair — “Global
their reading, writing and problem-solving ture literacy programs. Grant dollars will Gardens/Freshly Picked”
skills through partnerships with Wisconsin support innovative core curricula initiatives • UW-Madison Collegiate Farm
Agriculture in the Classroom, Adopt-A-Cow that incorporate agriculture concepts while Bureau — “2023 Ag in the Classroom
classroom program, and Hancock Agricultural helping students meet academic standards visits”
Research Station. and develop career readiness skills.
While being a farmer and a teacher are Groups, schools, and educators can • Waupun Parks and Recreation —
not required to bring agriculture to the class- apply for up to $500 as part of the Ag in the “Agriculture in the Parks”
room, it has certainly helped Jessica’s efforts. Classroom’s ‘Ag in All Classrooms’ grant • Henry David Thoreau School, Mil-
Her family’s farm has provided produce for program. waukee — “Chickology”
the school’s lunch program which has sparked Agriculture literacy programs that
Jessica Rettler, a teacher at Tri-County conversations and young minds alike about have been awarded funding include: • St. Mary School, Richland Center
Elementary, has been selected as one of eight how food is produced and the farmers who are • UW-Platteville Collegiate Farm — “Herbs Galore!”
recipients of the 2023 National Excellence in raising and growing it. Bureau — “Agriculture Day on the • SAGES, Fox Lake — “Food Science
Teaching About Agriculture Award. “I can’t think of a better way to spend Farm” Fundamentals”
The National Agriculture in the Class- my life than teaching, farming and inspiring • Green Bay East FFA Alumni &
room Organization (NAITCO), u.S. others to be healthy, happy, helpful, and good • Cranberry Learning, Inc. — “Cran- Agriscience — “Laboratory Lessons
Department of Agriculture’s National Insti- stewards of the land. We are what we eat: berry Learning Career Profiles” in Livestock Breeding”
tute of Food and Agriculture and Farm Credit mind, body, and soul,” said Rettler. • St. Mary St. Michael Catholic,
partner each year to honor teachers in pre- Rettler will receive prize packages valued Clarks Mills — “vermicomposting” Funding opportunities for educational
kindergarten through 12th grade from around at over $3000 and will receive the Excellence • Washington School, Wisconsin projects and initiatives occur year-round
the country for the innovative ways they use in Teaching About Agriculture Award Program Rapids — “Grow our Own Produce” and can be found at wisagclassroom.org.
agricultural concepts to teach reading, writing, presented by the u.S. Department of Agricul- Wisconsin Ag in the Classroom is now
math, science, social studies, STEM, STEAM ture’s Ag in the Classroom program at the • SAGES, Fox Lake — “Agriculture in accepting proposals for the Fall 2023 Ag in
and more. National Agriculture in the Classroom Confer- the Art Room” ALL Classroom Grants. Proposals are due
In December, Jessica Rettler was named ence in Orlando, June 26-30, 2023. June 30th. Apply at wisagclassroom.org.
the 2022 Wisconsin Agriculture in the Class- The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation’s
room Outstanding Educator. Rettler is a Ag in the Classroom program is designed to
fourth-grade educator at Tri-County Elemen- help K–12 students understand the importance
tary School in Plainfield. The Outstanding of agriculture. The program is coordinated by
Educator Award honors K–12 educators who the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation in
work to enhance student learning and achieve- cooperation with the u.S. Department of Agri-
ment in core subjects while increasing student culture, with funding from the Wisconsin Farm
awareness and understanding of the important Bureau Foundation, other agricultural groups
role agriculture plays in students’ daily lives. and a grant from the Wisconsin Department of
“I believe human survival and sustain- Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
ability rely upon agricultural literacy,” Jessica Learn more at wisagclassroom.org
stated in her application. “The basic needs of Contact: Beth Schaefer, Wisconsin Ag in
air, food, water and protection from environ- the Classroom Coordinator, 608.828.5644
mental dangers sustain life. Agriculture is key
to those basic needs. By increasing the level
of any form of literacy, we empower others to
make good choices.” www.tricounty.k12.wi.us
For the past 21 years, Rettler has inte-
grated agricultural literacy into her classroom

The Wisconsin Ag in the Classroom program provides teaching resources and lesson plans
to help K–12 students develop an understanding of the nation’s largest industry: AGRICULTURE.

Check out the Events, Lessons and Grants
available to all across Wisconsin.

www.wisagclassroom.org