Susan Ramsey of Pangburn, a language arts teacher for Pangburn Public Schools, has been named the 2023 Arkansas Farm Bureau Ag in the Classroom Outstanding Teacher.

Ramsey and Matt Jackson, Arkansas Farm Bureau’s Director of Education.

Farm Bureau established the award in 2006 to recognize teachers who have exemplary programs which integrate agricultural concepts into their curricula. Matt Jackson, Arkansas Farm Bureau’s Director of Education, presented the honor to Ramsey today at her school.

“Mrs. Ramsey has offered many learning opportunities for her students to grow in the world of agriculture, exposing them to experiences they may not have otherwise,” said Mary Rieck, Pangburn Elementary School principal. “Mrs. Ramsey earnestly seeks partnerships with agencies and entities to help promote and support agriculture with her students and also provides support to promote agriculture in other classrooms.”

One element of Ramsey’s teaching is sharing her own love of gardening with students by teaching a gardening class at the school. She has also partnered with the districts ag teacher to foster a value of agriculture and the role it plays in students’ everyday lives. She believes that hands-on learning, such as planting seeds and observing the life cycle, makes a deeper impact on students than classroom instruction alone.

“In my opinion, the best type of learning is one where you can apply it to your life to better understand the importance of the skill,” Ramsey says. “I hope the teaching we do here is the beginning of a passion and understanding of the importance of agriculture in our society.”

The title of Ag in the Classroom Outstanding Teacher comes along with a check for $1,000 and the opportunity to attend the National Ag in the Classroom Conference in Orlando this summer as the state’s National Ag in the Classroom nominee.

Arkansas Farm Bureau is a nonprofit, private advocacy organization with almost 190,000 families throughout the state working to improve farm and rural life. 

For more information, contact: 

Steve Eddington
(501) 228-1383
steve.eddington@arfb.com

or 

Jason Brown
(501) 891-1475
jason.brown@arfb.com