2020 CoAITC Outstanding Teacher Award

Cindy Staheli Pearson

Cindy Staheli Pearson of Loma, Colorado was the 2020 CoAITC Outstanding Teacher Award winner. Mrs. Pearson has been a third grade teacher at Loma Elementary for 12 years and finds creative ways to tie agriculture into everything she teaches. Loma Elementary is part of Mesa County Valley School District 51. Pearson adds agriculture concepts into units for reading, writing, science, social studies, math, and even art. One of the students’ favorite activities is a writing project called "Flat Aggies." Students are paired up with farmers, ranchers, and agriculture-related businesses all over the United States and Canada. The students make a paper doll character of themselves and write letters asking questions about their counterparts’ agriculture business. Their counterpart replies back, answering the questions, and including photos of their "Flat Aggie" on various adventures.

• Colorado Application
• National Application