Christopher Columbus Coin Image

2013 $5,000 Agriscience Educator's Award Recipient

The Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation and the American Farm Bureau Federation are honored to have awarded the achievements of the 2013 $10,000 Agriscience Educator's Award Columbus Scholar:

Sara Clark, Ph.D.

Sara Clark, Ph.D.

Sonoraville High School
Calhoun, Georgia


Sara Clark grew up in Waycross, Georgia, working in a commercial greenhouse. She has taught agricultural education for over 20 years and motivates secondary school students to develop their personal interest from the many fields of Agriscience. She provides opportunities and facilitates the learning process by providing an environment that encourages students to explore.

On any given day, her room will have at least 10 students after school creating surveys to determine vegetable buying preferences of teachers, to practicing livestock evaluation oral reasons. By encouraging students to be independent learners and setting high expectations, she says it is truly amazing to witness their discoveries as they unfold. Sonoraville High School’s Agriscience student body has won many State and national FFA CDEs through the implementation of inquiry-based learning, teaching others, and self-directed learning.

Sara has taught at Sonoraville for six years and was recognized as Sonoraville’s Teacher of the Year, Outstanding Agricultural Instructor for Georgia, National FFA Alumni Instructor for Georgia, and a finalist for the National FFA Agriscience Teacher Award. She completed the National Agriscience Teacher Ambassadors’ program last year and is National Board certified.

Sara earned her Bachelor, Masters, and Specialist degrees in Agricultural Education from the University of Georgia. Last year, she completed her Ph.D. in Agricultural Education from Auburn University and completed research concerning correlation of secondary agricultural education students’ science achievement to number of agricultural education courses passed.

 

The Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation is honored to have had the assistance of the following distinguished individuals serving on the 2013 Agriscience Awards Evaluation Committee:
  • Robert W. Clark, Ph.D.
    Executive Director
    Professional Personnel Development Center
    Temple University
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

  • Terri Lawton
    Lawton Family Farms
    Blackstone, Massachusetts

  • Jean Lonie
    Senior Manager
    Marketing Communications, Beef Segment
    Zoetis
    Madison, New Jersey

  • Hilary Maricle
    Maricle Family Farms and
    Agriscience Educator
    Northeast Community College
    Albion, Nebraska

  • Gary Matteson
    VP Young, Beginning, Small Farmer
    Programs and Outreach
    The Farm Credit Council
    Washington, D.C.

  • Meghan Mueseler
    Cargill, Inc.
    Wichita, Kansas