Congratulations to Haley Broussard, the 2022 Louisiana Ag in the Classroom Teacher of the Year! Mrs. Broussard, a 2nd-grade teacher at Dozier Elementary in Vermilion Parish, grew up on a sugarcane farm in Louisiana and has always had a passion for agriculture. She brings this passion into her daily lessons, using hands-on experiences to teach her students about agriculture in all its aspects—from cultivation to marketing.
Mrs. Broussard's students are lucky enough to have access to an aquaponics garden, where they grow ingredients like rosemary and lavender to make their own homemade soap, which they then sell to other teachers and students. They grow produce and Louisiana commodities, like sugarcane, rice, and crawfish, in their school garden. Her students even get to hatch baby chicks!
The Louisiana Ag in the Classroom program provides educational materials for teachers to use in all subjects, helping to incorporate agriculture into the lessons. Mrs. Broussard's efforts in teaching her students about the importance of agriculture have been recognized with the annual award, which includes a trip to the National Ag in the Classroom Conference, a $500 cash prize and an iPad.
Mrs. Broussard's hands-on approach to teaching has had a lasting impact on her students. They are able to learn about agriculture in a way that is both fun and meaningful, and they go home with knowledge and experiences that they can share with their families. Mrs. Broussard's superintendent, Tommy Byler, recognizes the value of this approach, "The hands-on experiences are definitely the things kids are going to remember."
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Mrs. Broussard on her well-deserved recognition as the 2022 Louisiana Ag in the Classroom Teacher of the Year. The annual award recognizes a Louisiana teacher for achievements and efforts in teaching students the importance of agriculture.
Teachers can now apply for the 2023 Louisiana Ag in the Classroom Teacher of the Year award until January 31, 2023. The criteria, application and prize list are available at https://aitcla.org/teacher-of-the-year.
