The Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation surprised Christ Lutheran School teacher Callie Asmus with the 2025 Nebraska Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher of the Year award at a school assembly on Jan. 22. The award is given to outstanding teachers that incorporate agriculture into their classroom through innovative ideas and lessons.
“Calle Asmus’ commitment to connecting students to agriculture in her classroom makes her the perfect fit to be awarded the 2025 Nebraska Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher of the Year. Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation is so excited to honor Callie,” said Brooke Carpenter, director of education.
Asmus, a fourth-grade teacher at Christ Lutheran School, incorporates agriculture in her classroom through the premier Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation program: Classroom Visits. Even after changing schools, Asmus continued to prioritize incorporating agriculture in her classroom. She has blazed a trail at multiple schools for teachers to utilize Foundation resources in their classroom.
“Incorporating agriculture into core subjects is important to me because many of my students don’t understand everything that is part of agriculture,” said Asmus. “You never know what conversation might spark someone’s love for agriculture or possibly lead them to a career in agriculture that will have a lasting impact.”
Asmus utilizes Classroom Visits and other free resources from the Foundation to keep agriculture at the forefront of her students’ minds. “I am hoping by incorporating more agriculture into my classroom that my students will take this information home and share it with their parents. Agriculture is a foundation of our lives, and it’s important for my students, and everyone, to understand the impact it has on their lives,” said Asmus.
Asmus will receive an expense-paid trip to the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference, an accurate agriculture book bundle, and a $250 cash prize. Educators from across the United States will gather in Minneapolis this June for the conference. The event aims to help teachers effectively integrate agricultural concepts into subjects like reading, math, science, and social studies.
The mission of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation is to engage youth, educators, and the general public to promote an understanding of the vital importance of agriculture in the lives of all Nebraskans. The Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. For more information about the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation, visit www.nefbfoundation.org.