2023 Teacher of the Year: Eva Manzke

The Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom (IAITC) program is pleased to announce the 2023 Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher of the Year, Eva Manzke, of Walker Elementary School, Bedford Park,  Cook County, Illinois. Manzke will be recognized at the 2022 Illinois Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in Chicago and will receive a trip to the 2023 National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference in Orlando, Florida. She will also be the Illinois nominee for the USDA National Excellence in Teaching Agriculture Award.

An elementary teacher, Manzke utilizes agriculture across her curriculum with her students. From urban agriculture and hydroponics to livestock and crop production, Manzke finds unique opportunities to integrate agriculture into her classroom.  She has received multiple grants to further develop her afterschool program B.A.M (Body, Agriculture and Mind) to further expose her students to all facets of agriculture.  Manzke has taken advantage of the local connection to Ingredion, the multi-national ingredient provider located in her neighborhood, to further integrate careers and impact of agriculture on the local economy. Manzke has attended multiple ag related teacher professional development workshops and also the American Farm Bureau On the Farm Dairy STEM experience.