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BLOOMINGTON,
IL- The Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom program is pleased to announce
the 2008 Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher of the Year is
Jane Hemann
of Mt.
Olive Grade School, Mt. Olive,
Macoupin County. Mrs. Hemann will receive a plaque and a trip
to the 2008 National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference in
Costa
Mesa,
California. She will also be the
Illinois
nominee for the National Excellence in Teaching Agriculture Award.
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Jane Hemann
Mt. Olive
Grade School, Mt. Olive,
Macoupin County. |
Hemann
was a Summer Agricultural Institute graduate 2003 & 2006; and
White-Reinhardt Teacher Scholarship Recipient in 2007. Mrs. Hemann’s passion for agriculture is
shared with her first grade students, their families, fellow teachers, her
community, classrooms in
Chicago and
the
Island of
Samoa
America. Ms. Hemann has developed an extensive,
comprehensive 10 week farm unit to help students learn how agriculture is a
part of their everyday life. First
graders not only learn about agriculture; but make real world connections by
being exposed first hand to where their food comes from. The final project is a
video explaining the importance of the farmer and people in the food industry
which is shared with many other students, including students on the
Island of
Samoa
America.
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Mrs. Hemann
has graciously shared this unit with teachers in several counties at various
workshops and institutes. It is also
published on the internet for anyone to use.
The passion Mrs. Hemann portrays for agricultural education is quite
apparent throughout her classroom all year long. She has truly brought farming to life for
first graders in
Mt.
Olive,
making Mrs. Hemann this year’s leader for Illinois Agriculture in the
Classroom.
Congratulations
may be addressed to:
Jane Hemann
Mt.
Olive
Grade
School
804 West
Main
Mt.
Olive,
IL 62069
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Runner Up |
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Runner
Up for the Teacher of the Year is
Brenda Woker,
Jefferson
Elementary
School, DeKalb,
DeKalb
County
Illinois. Ms. Woker is a 4th grade teacher who has
devised innovative ways to advance ag literacy in her classroom, from her
year-long cross-curricular plan entitled “Colossal
Crops and Consumer Kids” to her “AgriCenters
for Inquisitive Kids” all developed to create ag awareness throughout the
year for her students.
Finalists for the Teacher of the Year Award include:
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Annette B.
Schaefer,
Portage
Park
School,
Chicago,
Cook
County
Sandra
Gagliardi,
Tri
County
Christian
School,
Freeport,
Stephenson
County
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For more information about Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom
Program and the Teacher of the Year Award, contact Kevin Daugherty
309-557-3334 or
kdaugherty@ilfb.org |
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