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 Teacher of the Year 2002 |
| Kristi Sweeter |
| Kristi does her part to make students aware of just important agriculture really is. |
"My objective is pretty simple, I want to introduce my students to as much of the agricultural industry as possible and to know that living in this part of America, agriculture is all around us."
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Kristi was honored at the South Dakota Ag In The Classroom Annual Meeting in Sioux Falls, SD in December 2002. She had the opportunity to share some of her curriculum with the members and sponsors who attended the event.
SDAITC board member Craig Dybedahl presents Kristi with a plaque recognizing her efforts in educating youth about our number one industry--Agriculture! |
Kristi Sweeter, 6th grade teacher at Tri-Valley Elementary near Colton, SD has been selected as South Dakota Ag In The Classroom's "2002 Teacher of the Year". She shares this award with Kim Smiley who teaches at a rural school in the Meade County District. Kristi believes that agriculture plays a large role in South Dakota. As a result the 6th grade students at Tri-Valley looked at several aspects of agriculture throughout the year.
Kristi is a graduate of SDAITC's 2001 Summer Ag Institute and is currently in her fourth year with the Tri-Valley School District where she teaches Social Studies, English and Language Arts to sixth grade students. Kristi believes that agriculture plays a large role in South Dakota, and even though she teaches in a rural setting, many of her students are unfamiliar with agriculture.
Corn--It's A-Maizing!
Throughout the unit, students brought products made from corn or a corn by-product. The class made a display and at the end of the unit, donated the items to the local food pantry.
Working to meet South Dakota education standards, Kristi developed a unit incorporating corn. Her students studied the ancient civilizations of Middle America and the cultural contributions made by agriculture. It was an excellent opportunity to look at the corn industry and discuss how it affected lives thousands of years ago and how it affects life today.
Kristi served on a planning committee that secured a grant for a "Celebration of Rural Life Day" at her school and also shares her knowledge with local 4-H clubs. She is also active in her church and is currently the Head Volleyball Coach at Tri-Valley. Her family includes husband Robbie and children Andrew (10), Grant (5), and Corissa (3).
For her accomplishments, Sweeter will represent South Dakota at the National Ag In The Classroom Conference in Nashville, TN in June 2003. She will also share her experiences and successes with other teachers during SD Ag In The Classroom workshops. |
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