Local FFA leader receives award in recognition of his efforts

CELINA-Clay County High School agriculture teacher Matthew Craighead has been honored with an Outstanding AITC Teacher Award, given as a part of a project by the Tennessee Farm Bureau in cooperation with the Tennessee Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee.

An educator scholarship to the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference is one component of the project.

The purpose of the Tennessee Agriculture in the Classroom Educator Recognition Program is to assist county Farm Bureaus in recognizing teachers in their counties who promote AITC.

Nominees are asked to complete a form to compete for a scholarship that will provide travel expense funds to attend the national conference for the purpose of using the information gained from the conference to expand their outreach to students regarding food, fuel and fiber.

Educators employed by a school system and working in grades K-12, who have demonstrated involvement in agricultural literacy programs, are eligible to be nominated for the award.

Craighead received the Clay County Outstanding Ag in The Classroom Award for his use of worksheets and lesson plans, as well as other online resources in daily classroom activities.

As part of the FFA Chapter’s  committee called Passing Literacy OnWards (PLOW), Craighead hosts a monthly meeting at the Clay County Public Library often using activities that are part of the Ag in the Classroom Program.

His use of the National Ag in the Classroom resource website in the classroom that provides a wealth of resources that can be actively used on a regular basis was also considered.

The FFA Chapter also assists the kindergarten classes in planting a plant each spring.  This year, their Community Service Committee sourced a large set of garden seeds, and are in the process of putting together a “seed library” to have available for other students and other grades.

The county Outstanding AITC Teacher receives a certificate and monetary award from AITC and the county Farm Bureau office.  Five national winners will receive free registration to the National AITC Conference.  Clay County Farm Bureau urges all teachers to educate their students about agriculture.