West Des Moines, Iowa – 12/17/2025 – Jenna Spain, Talented and Gifted (TAG) and Title I Reading teacher at Cardinal Elementary School in Maquoketa, Iowa, has been named the recipient of the 2025 Iowa Excellence in Teaching about Agriculture award. Presented by the Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation (IALF), the award recognizes educators who excel at integrating agricultural literacy into their classrooms, helping students understand agriculture’s relevance to their lives, communities, and potential future careers. Spain was selected as the top candidate among elementary, middle, and high school teachers from across the state and will be honored at the IALF Board of Director’s Meeting in January 2026.  

“Jenna Spain demonstrates how agriculture can enrich Iowa’s core academic subjects,” said Kelly Foss, IALF Executive Director. “By integrating agricultural concepts into science, math, language arts, and social studies, she challenges students to think critically, tackle real-world challenges, and use data driven reasoning – just like agricultural scientists, engineers, and producers do every day. Her approach transforms agriculture into a dynamic context for high-level STEM learning while fostering stewardship and career awareness.” 

Spain has 16 years of teaching experience and holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Dubuque and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Morningside College. Her teaching background includes special education, fourth grade, Title I reading, and TAG instruction, giving her a strong foundation in meeting diverse student needs. In her TAG classroom, Spain uses a hands-on, inquiry-driven approach, acting as a facilitator who guides learning while encouraging students to take ownership of complex, meaningful work. 

Spain aligns her instruction with the National Agricultural Literacy Outcomes (NALOs), particularly Agriculture and the Environment and STEM. Through Plant the Moon garden investigations, students test soil pH, texture, moisture, and sun exposure across multiple garden beds. They analyze data to select native and edible plants that support pollinators, reduce erosion, conserve water, and provide forage and cover for chicks. Student teams present data-driven planting plans grounded in environmental stewardship and sustainability. 

STEM integration is further strengthened through Project Lead the Way units connected to agriculture. Students collect and analyze sensor data such as light, temperature and soil moisture to model plant responses and predict optimal planting and brooding windows tied to lunar and seasonal cycles. In an engineering design challenge, students design, prototype, and program low-cost automated brooder systems, using real-time data to improve temperature control, ventilation, and lighting. Students document their process in engineering journals, graph growing data, and make evidence-based recommendations. 

“Agriculture gives my students a meaningful, real-world reason to ask questions and think critically,” said Spain. “When students are testing soil, analyzing data, or designing solutions to care for plants and animals, learning becomes deep, joyful, and relevant. I want students to see how agriculture connects science, engineering, and stewardship and how their ideas can make a real impact.” 

Spain ensures student understanding through hands-on inquiry, intentional scaffolding, and ongoing formative assessment. Lessons begin with clear learning targets and modeling, followed by student experimentation, analysis, and reflection through science notebooks, engineering journals, and peer critique. She also incorporates community expertise to deepen learning, partnering with Iowa Farm Bureau Agriculture in the Classroom, Iowa State University Extension and mentors, local conservation organizations, and community professionals. These partnerships help students connect classroom learning to real agricultural practices, environmental challenges, and career pathways. 

The Excellence in Teaching About Agriculture Award honors educators who extend agricultural literacy beyond the classroom, and Spain’s work exemplifies that mission. Through collaboration with Ag in the Classroom coordinators, extension educators, conservation partners, higher-education mentors, and local leaders, she transforms student inquiry into community engagement and long-term stewardship. 

Spain will receive a $500 stipend to support her continued efforts of integrating agriculture into her classroom curriculum. She will also attend the National Agriculture in the Classroom conference to be held in Providence, Rhode Island in June 2026. 

“Spain’s teaching shows what’s possible when agriculture, STEM, and thoughtful instruction come together,” Foss added. “She is preparing students not just to understand, but to lead, innovate, and care for the world they will inherit.” 

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About the Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation
IALF serves as a central resource for educators and volunteers who teach Iowa’s students about agriculture. The mission is to educate Iowans, with a focus on youth, regarding the breadth and global significance of agriculture. Iowa is a leading producer of agricultural products that are essential to feed a growing world population, estimated to reach more than 9 billion by 2050. IALF believes it is important for all Iowans to understand the essential role agriculture has in their lives. Through Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) efforts, IALF serves as the state representative for the National AITC Organization and collaborates with the Iowa AITC network including County AITC programs engaging with teachers and students across Iowa’s 99 counties.  

IALF is supported by agricultural stakeholders, including the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Soybean Association, Iowa Pork Producers Association, Iowa Beef Industry Council, Iowa Turkey Federation, Corteva Agriscience, GROWMARK, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Midwest Dairy Association and Iowa Egg Council. For more information visit IALF online at www.IowaAgLiteracy.org, on Facebook, and X.