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Barrow County teacher Monica Massei is Georgia Farm Bureau’s 2022 Georgia Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher of the Year! From left, GFB President Tom McCall and Georgia EMC Public Relations Representative Andy Paul present the award to Massei along with Georgia Foundation for Agriculture Executive Director Lily Baucom.
Photo by Logan Thomas

By Lauren Goble, Georgia Farm Bureau

The Georgia Farm Bureau  (GFB) Georgia Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) Teacher of the Year Award recognizes a Georgia educator for his or her excellence in incorporating agriculture into their lessons while meeting Georgia curriculum standards. Agricultural concepts can support the teaching of science, technology, engineering, math (STEM); science, technology, engineering, art, math (STEAM) and science, technology, emotional learning, art, math (STREAM).

It’s important for students to understand how agriculture impacts their daily life. Many Georgia teachers are integrating agriculture into their daily lessons. The GFB AITC Teacher of the Year award allows county Farm Bureaus to nominate a teacher who goes above and beyond to teach his or her students about Georgia agriculture. GFB looks forward to recognizing one of these teachers as the 2023 Georgia Ag in the Classroom Teacher of the Year.

Barrow County teacher Monica Massei was the 2022 GFB AITC Teacher of the Year. Visit https://gfb.ag/massei22aitcteacher to learn how the Kennedy Elementary teacher introduces her students to agriculture while meeting curriculum standards.

“I can teach every curriculum standard through agriculture. We read, solve math problems, learn history and create art,” said Massei, who teaches gifted resources to first and second graders.  

 In 2021, Massei and her students began raising goats. The students researched the supplies they would need to house and feed their three goats, then made and sold pickles to raise funds to supplement the donations they received from local businesses for the project. 

Massei’s classes have also adopted a cow through the Dairy Alliance’s Adopt a Cow program; planted and harvested vegetables in their school garden and learned about food nutrition and how to read food labels.