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WORLAND - Worland High School ag science and business teacher Grace Godfrey was honored earlier this summer as the Wyoming Vocational Ag Teachers Association Teacher of the Year.

As a state award winner, Godfrey is eligible for the National Association of Agriculture Educators Teacher of the Year which should be announced next month.

Godfrey said this is the first time being honored by her peers in Wyoming, having been honored in Indiana before coming to Worland.

She said she has been nominated by her regional peers but never completed the paperwork to be considered for the Wyoming Vocational Ag Teachers Association Teacher of the Year.

Godfrey said her program was also honored by the WVATA as the Outstanding FFA and classroom program.

"It is an honor. You're selected by your region to even fill out the paperwork and it is nice to think my peers think I'm doing a good job," Godfrey said.

WHS Principal Wade Sanford wrote in his nomination support letter, "It is my pleasure to write this letter of recommendation in support for Grace Godfrey as a candidate for the Wyoming Vocational Agriculture Teachers' Association Outstanding Ag Ed Teacher. In her time at Worland High School, she has transformed the FFA program into one of the most consistent and highest performing in the state. Through her dedication and tireless efforts, our students have had countless opportunities and successes in activities not thought of or attempted when I arrived in Worland in the fall of 2000.

"It has been a pleasure to observe her grow the program as well as her students within the program. Mrs. Godfrey is giving of her time with students. She is a tireless worker, putting in extraordinary hours with students outside of class and instructional time. 

"Mrs. Godfrey has become a nationally certified CASE (Curriculum for Agriculture Science Education) instructor, again growing her own capacity for instruction while increasing opportunities for our students. She also regularly attends conferences and trainings that increase her capacity as a professional. Mrs. Godfrey also assists to coordinate Perkins funding compliance and student tracking. 

"Finally, Mrs. Godfrey's greatest asset and contribution is the genuine and positive relationship she has built with students and staff. Mrs. Godfrey's students consistently see her supporting them at events and activities that are outside the realm of ag education. Due to her tireless dedication and genuine concern for her students, Mrs. Godfrey is routinely sought out for words of encouragement and advice on a variety of issues.

"One trait that Mrs. Godfrey possesses that I wish was present with more of our teachers, is the commitment to have conversations with students concerning their post-secondary education plans. Mrs. Godfrey has a wide variety of students enrolled in her ag education courses and I consistently observe her students engaged in activities and projects that contain a component that demands they identify a course of action past high school, and then identifying the steps required to accomplish that plan.

"In 25 years as an educator and my 13th as an administrator, I can tell you that instructors such as Mrs. Godfrey are very rare. She is a positive model for students and realizes that her conduct, behavior and demeanor outside of the school building are just as important to model for students as her behavior within the building. Mrs. Godfrey has incredibly high personal, professional and ethical standards for herself and transitions those expectations to her classroom and FFA programs for her student and program members. I can speak personally to the positive impact that Mrs. Godfrey has on individual students. I have a junior and a freshman currently enrolled in various Ag Education courses, and it is not because they desire to pursue a career in agriculture. One has a desire to become an engineer and the other aspires to be a surgeon. They have chosen to enroll in these elective courses initially because of the positive advertising presented to them by students who had previously taken Mrs. Godfrey as an instructor."

Godfrey has served as a WVATA officer in the past and presented at numerous regional and national conventions. She currently serves on the Perkins V Advisory Council.

She added, "I have hosted a student teacher the Spring semester of 2019 and 2020 from the University of Wyoming and was the ATA Teacher Mentor of the Year in 2019."

OUTSTANDING

PROGRAM

Regarding being honored as the outstanding program, Godfrey outlined highlights and honors for the program in her award application.

As a CASE certified teacher in five areas, Godfrey said her classroom instruction "may look differently than some. CASE classrooms are designed to be more student lead through science inquiry using activity, project and problem-based instruction. I hope that my classroom looks and feels like clear and concise learning objectives and expectations, hands-on activities, projects, and problems providing engagement and motivation for learning and learning real-life problem solving to gain experience for post-secondary education and a future career."

The five CASE areas Godfrey is certified to teach and does teach are introduction to agriculture, food and natural resources, principles of agricultural science-animal and plant, mechanical systems in agriculture and agriculture business foundations.

The WHS program also offers experiential learning opportunities with 100% participation in SAE (supervised agriculture experience) projects.

"We are fortunate to live in a small rural community that is agricultural based and invested in the youth of the area. Numerous students' supervised agricultural experience programs, and internships are based here in Worland for students to explore," Godfrey wrote.

The Chief Washakie FFA members had 60 proficiency applications finish in the top 3 in 2019 with similar success this year (63 in the top three).

In 2020 they earned three Regional Stars: Star in AgriScience, Star in AgBusiness and Star Farmer, 35 members earned their greenhand degree, 25 their Chapter FFA degree and 14 earn their Wyoming State FFA degree.

She also outlined the numerous leadership opportunities her students have and the partnerships that help the program be successful including with the University of Wyoming, UW Extension, Washakie County Conservation District, Washakie County office of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Northwest College and numerous Worland businesses.