The Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) program is pleased to announce its 2015 Teacher of the Year, Carole Scannell, of St. Germaine Catholic School, Oak Lawn, Cook County, Illinois. Scannell will receive a plaque and a trip to the 2016 National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference in Litchfield Park, Arizona. She will also be the Illinois nominee for the National Excellence in Teaching Agriculture Award. Illinois Corn Marketing Board is a strong supporter of the AITC program in Illinois. This year ICMB will fund AITC with an $85,000 gift through the IAA Foundation.

Carole Scannell teaches 4th Grade in Oak Lawn, Illinois. Throughout her 32 years of teaching, Scannell has worked to educate her students and since being introduced to the Agriculture in the Classroom program has come to understand how important students know about the source of their food and fiber really is. She succeeds in incorporating agricultural knowledge into her daily lesson plans. Throughout the year, Scannnel; and her students learn how food is grown and most importantly utilized by consumers.

Scannell understands that her students in the suburban area of Cook County, bordering Chicago are quite removed from their sources of food and fiber. By utilizing the Cook County AITC Program, Scannell succeeds in incorporating agriculture into her math, science, language and social studies program. Scannell is also a participant in the IAITC Adopt a Classroom program matching her students up with farm families from Fulton County in West-Central IL. Her students have also had the opportunity to visit farms in Fulton County. Along with their parents, these students receive a once in a lifetime opportunity to see farms in an up-close and personal manner. Scannell is not only providing education to her students, but also to their parents and extended families. She firmly believes in this advanced consumer education.

Runner Up

Mrs. Rena Rose, Nauvoo-Colusa Elementary, Hancock County 4th grade. Mrs. Rose works to showcase the importance of Illinois crops and livestock for her students by implementing both fiction and non-fiction resources into her reading curriculum that focus on agriculture. She also works to showcase agriculture across the United States with her “State in a Can” where student highlight various states through their agriculture production! Mrs. Rose encourages her students to “Thank A Farmer” and helps them see the direct link from Farm to Table!

Finalists for the Teacher of the Year Award include:

Karen Crites, St Mary’s Middle School, Alton, Madison County

Karen Jones, Tonica Grade School, Tonica, Livingston County

Sandy Kissinger, Eswood School, Lindenwood, Ogle County

Valerie Murbarger, Albion Grade School, Albion, Edwards County