Brainerd Educator Recognized with Outstanding Teacher Award

Carrie Allord receives both state and national ag education accolades

St. Paul, MN: Carrie Allord, a third-grade teacher at St. Francis Catholic School in Brainerd, has been recognized as Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom’s (MAITC) 2024 Outstanding Teacher Award winner.

Allord uses a wide range of agriculture-themed books, lessons, and materials to support the development of reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in her students, and is always looking for opportunities to connect plants, animals, and food to the learning activities happening in her classroom. She also uses a classroom chicken named Pearl as well as a chick hatching program to help students investigate lifecycles and connect to important science concepts.

“To be agriculture literate is to understand and respect where our food comes from. It is important for teachers and students to share the knowledge of agriculture so that everyone around us understands how agriculture impacts our world, and our daily lives,” said Allord.

In addition to the state-level award, Allord was also recognized as one of six Excellence in Teaching about Agriculture Award winners by the National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization. She will receive a $500 stipend and travel expenses covered to attend the 2024 National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, this June.

All Minnesota licensed K-12 educators who creatively integrate agricultural concepts into non-agricultural education classroom settings are eligible for the MAITC Outstanding Teacher Award. Applications are reviewed by a committee of MAITC Foundation board members, who select the recipient each winter.

MAITC is a partnership between the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the MAITC Foundation that seeks to increase agricultural literacy through K-12 education. Visit the MAITC website for more information and free educational resources.

Left to right: St. Francis Catholic School Principal Jennifer Nagel, MAITC 2024 Outstanding Teacher Carrie Allord, MAITC Ed Specialists Sue Knott and Keri Sidle.

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