Fennimore Elementary School kindergarten teacher Brenda Bunn has been named the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Ag in the Classroom’s Outstanding Teacher. The award recognizes teachers for their efforts in teaching students the importance of agriculture. Her application will now be considered at the national level.
A presentation was made to all of Fennimore’s kindergarteners on Dec. 22 acknowledging the teachers’ team effort and Bunn’s recognition. Wisconsin Ag in the Classroom Coordinator Darlene Arneson and Grant County Volunteer Coordinator Christina Winch discussed with the students all that Wisconsin agriculture has to offer. They talked further on agriculture and why it is an important topic of study in local schools.
“Brenda, and fellow [first grade teachers] Rebecca Timmerman and Pamela Waltz, have developed a series of units that cover safety, sunflowers, pumpkins, plants, food, bees, and other agricultural topics,” Arneson said.
Some of the other units covered include bugs and spiders, making “clean mud,” farm animals, crops and various types of farming. The teachers utilize kits the Grant County Farm Bureau offers for educators that include activities, books and lesson plans. Christina Winch and Pat Steinbach are the volunteer Ag in the Classroom coordinators for Grant County.
Following the recent presentation at FES, the kindergarten teachers were awarded with more ag-related resources that they can continue to share with their students.
Bunn received her Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education from the University of Northern Iowa, reading teacher certification from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, and early childhood certification from Cardinal Stritch University. She has taught in Florissant, Mo., and Boscobel before coming to Fennimore in 2007.
Bunn will receive a cash award and will be Wisconsin’s nominee for the National USDA Excellence in Teaching Agriculture Award. Her national application is due Jan. 17.