Mary Johns
(334) 235-1406

Collinsville High School teacher Lorilyn Owen and Eva School teacher Kathy DeFoor have a few days of summer vacation planned with a trip to Portland, Maine for the National Agriculture In the Classroom (AITC) Conference June 27-29.

Owen and DeFoor are two of 40 educators from across the U.S. who received scholarships worth $435 to cover conference registration. During AITC, participants learn innovative ways agricultural concepts can reinforce classroom lessons in reading, writing, math, science and social studies.

“The national AITC program always opens teachers’ eyes by showing them new and creative techniques they can use to engage students in their classrooms,” said Kim Ramsey, Alabama AITC Steering Committee chair. “While two of our teachers were selected for this scholarship, I am so excited our state will have seven total attendees this year. I know they’ll all come back brimming with ideas to share.”

Owen is this year’s Alabama AITC Teacher of the Year, and DeFoor is a past recipient of the same award.

Three Alabama teachers will give presentations during the conference: Shelley Jones of Bibb County School, Rachel Chastain of the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind and Linda Hardee of Huntsville City Schools. Spring Garden School in Cherokee County also has two teachers attending: Britney Jones and Teresa Westbrook.

Scholarships are given through the CHS Foundation, which is funded by charitable gifts from CHS Inc. — the nation’s leading farmer-owned cooperative and a global energy, grains and foods company.