Amy Aspenwall (center), surrounded here by students in one of her AP Environmental Sciences classes at Loveland High School, is one of 20 teachers nationwide selected for “Nourish the Future” national teacher leadership training in San Antonio, Texas, in February.
Loveland, Ohio – As one of only 20 teachers nationwide, Loveland High School Science Teacher Amy Aspenwall has been selected to attend the national teacher leadership training by EducationProjects.org in San Antonio, Texas, in February. The training will take place at the Commodity 
Classic, the nation’s largest agricultural trade show, and professional development event.
“This is really exciting for me personally, but also for Loveland High School,” said Aspenwall. “It will provide leadership opportunities and allow collaboration with teachers around the country to identify and create new problem-based modules, flipped classroom materials, and science labs for our students.”
It will also highlight the connection between the science they teach in the classroom and the application to food production and food security.
EducationProjects.org has connected industry to the classroom for more than 20 years. The upcoming training, “Nourish the Future,” will introduce participants to the latest developments in water quality, sustainable agriculture, and 21st-century tools and technology in precision agriculture. It will allow teachers to take part in a curated tour of the trade show, with a focus on the science and engineering that support the production of food, fiber, and fuel. It will also highlight the connection between the science they teach in the classroom and the application to food production and food security. After the three-day event, teachers will continue to collaborate and access additional training through webinars and national and regional conferences.
“Agriculture is an important aspect of our work and a great opportunity to engage students in concepts and activities that impact their own lives,” said Aspenwall.
“Agriculture is an important aspect of our work and a great opportunity to engage students in concepts and activities that impact their own lives,” said Aspenwall. “When that connection is made, students are empowered to become more involved and engaged in environmental issues.”
Through the nomination of Aspenwall and her AP Environmental Science class at LHS, Loveland City Schools earned the Sustainability Award by the Little Miami River Chamber Alliance in 2018. The award recognized the work with students and the commitment to developing environmental leaders for the future. Aspenwall’s class continues to offer authentic, hands-on opportunities for students to understand issues like water quality and biodiversity, and allows them to develop innovative solutions to problems. The class was implemented at LHS in the fall of 2016 and was filled to capacity after only a couple of years.
