Heather Grabarski, a fifth-grade teacher at Adams-Friendship Elementary School in Adams County, is the 2016 recipient of the Outstanding Teacher Award from the Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom program.
Each year the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation recognizes a teacher for their efforts educating students on the importance of agriculture. Teachers of all grade levels and subject areas, with the exclusion of certified agriculture education instructors, are eligible to apply.
“Heather deserves to be recognized for her work as an educator,” Darlene Arneson, Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom Coordinator, said. “Kudos to her for teaching students about agriculture and where their food comes from.”
Grabarski earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from UW-Stevens Point with a minor in music. She is working on a master’s degree in professional development with an emphasis on challenging advanced learners at UW-Whitewater.
“Heather works with her local Ag in the Classroom program, county extension office, Master Gardener Program and others to build a network of resources for her classroom,” Arneson added. “She also has used World Dairy Expo tours, science fairs, and other hands-on activities to enhance her student’s learning experiences.”
Grabarski will be Wisconsin’s nominee for the National Excellence in Teaching Agriculture Award and will receive $500 to attend the 2017 National Ag in the Classroom Conference in Kansas City, Missouri.
For more information about Ag in the Classroom or the Outstanding Teacher Award, contact Darlene Arneson at 608.828.5644.
Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom program provides teachers and students K-12 with an understanding of how their food is produced. The program seeks to work within existing curricula to provide basic information on our nation’s largest industry: Agriculture. Wisconsin’s Ag in the Classroom program is carried out by a network of local educators, volunteers and representatives from agricultural organizations and businesses. The goal of the program is to help students gain a greater awareness of the role of agriculture in the economy and society, so that they may become citizens who support wise agricultural policies.
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