High school science teacher Christine Girtain is being celebrated for one of teaching’s top honors—New Jersey State Teacher of the Year. Not only is this a testament to Girtain’s commitment to her profession and her students, but confirmation of her passion for her subject area. She is always looking for new opportunities to expand her enthusiasm and her reach. At the 2019 National Biology Teachers Conference, she discovered a booth which would bring her love of science together with the world of agriculture—Nourish the Future.
Nourish the Future (NTF) is a national education initiative developed by science teachers for science teachers. Their goal is to inspire a network of educators to foster critical thinking, connect students to modern agriculture, and provide sound science-based resources that meet teachers’ and students’ needs in the classroom. Girtain became part of that dynamic movement in 2020 as part of the Teacher Leader Community (TLC) Class I. She has continued her participation in the program as a TLC Coach in 2021 and a TLC Facilitator in 2022.
Girtain recently sat down to speak with Chad Smith, reporter for the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB), to talk about some of the key ingredients in her recipe for personal success: her passion for education, her curiosity for STEM, and her longtime love of learning. Readers can listen in to that interview here - New Jersey Teacher of the Year Incorporates STEM, Agriculture in Curriculum.
For more information on how to become part of the NTF Teacher Leader Community, just like New Jersey State Teacher of the Year Christine Girtain, visit nourishthefuture.com/tlc. The deadline for TLC IV application is December 1, 2022.
Nourish the Future is made possible through the assistance of the National Corn Growers Association, the nation’s corn farmers, their state corn checkoff programs and the United Soybean Board.
