Shelby Guthrie, a Food Science and Ag Education teacher at Global Impact STEM Academy, has been selected as the GrowNextGen Teacher of the Year. This honor reflects Guthrie’s enthusiastic outreach and involvement with the Ohio Soybean Council-sponsored GrowNextGen throughout the past year. “Shelby is a dynamic, zealous ambassador for GrowNextGen,” Jane Hunt, Director of Education, said.

The Teacher of the Year program highlights teachers who have demonstrated leadership of their fellow teachers by training and providing support; added value to GrowNextGen with curriculum and ideas; promoted the GrowNextGen program in their classroom, online, and with other colleagues; and completed the leadership program with GrowNextGen.

Guthrie has been a GNG Teacher Leader for the past several years, presented at workshops and at the Ohio Association of Agricultural Educators, and she’s already reached out about how to engage again this year! She’s shown her support for GNG by participating in workshops, teaching and leading, and promoting the program on social media. She traveled with us to Commodity Classic in New Orleans, playing a leadership role there by engaging with teachers across the country to network and develop connections between her classroom and others’.

Shelby engages her students in project-based learning. An aquaculture project gave them the opportunity to build an ecosystem where fish by products are used to grow plants. The students even created a ‘commercial’ for their project. “It’s a career I may want to pursue,” a student said. “It connects with biology, chemistry, and math.”

“Agricultural education involves more than just teaching students the basics of seed production or how to judge livestock,” Guthrie said. “It provides the opportunity for people to understand that agriculture is not just farming; it’s a sustainable way of life. Sustainability is a key component to apply in everyday life and experience rewarding outcomes.”

“Shelby does a great job sharing about what GrowNextGen has to offer because she uses the resources herself,” Hunt said. “She teaches the lessons in her classroom, has her students attend the virtual field trips, and uses the e-learning courses. Her students have presented the soybean seed necklace activity at community events. She is always willing to try new things and give feedback. We’re so thankful that she’s on our team!”

Guthrie will be honored at the Ohio Soybean Council Industry Dinner this November.