GREENVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA (RFD News) — The agriculture industry continues to focus on educating the next generation, and one North Carolina teacher is doing that in her classroom.
First-grade teacher Taylor Dougherty at Eastern Elementary School was named the 2026 Ag in the Classroom Award winner for her efforts to teach students about agriculture.
Dougherty says it is especially important for her students to learn about the industry because many do not have direct exposure to it.
She says lessons often focus on what farmers do and the work that goes into producing food.
“We’ve talked a lot about ‘What is a farmer?’, ‘What is a farmer’s job?’” Dougherty said. “So just helping them understand that things don’t just magically appear. If you want your milk at lunch, then somebody has to raise your cows.”
Dougherty says the class also partners with 4-H to give students a more hands-on experience.
“We talk a lot about animal needs and plant needs. What we do is they create a habitat for their animal after they’ve researched it, and it gives them that real-life experience of animals.”
As part of the award, Dougherty will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to the National Ag in the Classroom Conference, which will take place this summer in Providence, Rhode Island.
