Madson’s award comes with a trip to Orlando, Fla.

today. We’ve made homemade ice cream. We made flour and will make bread out of it. We’ll make our own butter. In the future we hope to have a classroom garden so students can see how the changing seasons affect the farm.”

St. Anne’s utilizes the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s “Agriculture in the Classroom” program and its Ag Mag publications. (Ag Mag was featured in the March 31 issue of The Land.) It was through the Ag in the Classroom website where Madson applied for her award. “I told everyone, ‘I’m going to win this!’” she said. “I have all of these people to help me.”

In addition to submitting a few essays, Madson’s application was accompanied by a letter from a member of the Le Sueur community which Madson speculates helped her selection a great deal. “I found out (of her award) in December, but I couldn’t say anything until it was officially announced.”

Madson will receive a $500 stipend and have up to $1,500 of her related expenses paid to attend the National Agriculture in the Classroom conference this June in Orlando, Florida.

Since her arrival in Le Sueur, this “city girl” has been enjoying life in rural Minnesota. She’s ridden shotgun in a combine during harvest and works with a local sweet corn grower during the summer. “I had no idea I’d fall in love with the community,” Madson declared. “People have been so willing to help me.”

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

“It’s not rocket science,” Madson shrugged. “I just want to teach things they can understand at such a young age.”

Paul Malchow is the managing editor of The Land. He may be reached at editor@TheLandOnline.com. v