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Wawanesa Educator Named AITC-M’s 2026 Educator Champion

The Educator Champion Award recognizes educators who demonstrate exceptional leadership in agriculture education by creating meaningful learning experiences that help students better understand food, farming, and the many opportunities within Manitoba's agriculture industry.

For Kirby, agriculture education goes beyond the classroom. Through hands-on learning opportunities, school gardening projects, and agriculture-focused activities, she helps students build meaningful connections to where their food comes from and the role agriculture plays in their everyday lives.

At Wawanesa School, Kirby has helped bring agriculture learning to life through a greenhouse and garden project she championed to give students hands-on experiences with growing food. Through planting, caring for crops, and harvesting produce, students gain a deeper understanding of food production while developing responsibility, curiosity, and practical skills that extend beyond the classroom.

"Students get really excited when things actually grow," says Adams. "They enjoy the hands-on aspect of working in the garden and greenhouse and learning about the different career opportunities that are out there."

School staff and students describe Kirby as a passionate educator who believes in learning by doing. Her commitment to hands-on agriculture education has helped students engage with agriculture in meaningful ways while building valuable connections to their local community.

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Farmer-First Focus: Potatoes in the Florida?! The Farmer Living Life in the Fast Lane

Video: Farmer-First Focus: Potatoes in the Florida?! The Farmer Living Life in the Fast Lane

Think Florida is just for oranges and vacationers? Think again. Welcome to Troyer Bros, where the soil is rich, the potatoes are world-class and the farmers are faster than you’d ever expect. In this episode of Farmer-First Focus Friday, we’re hanging out with Anthony Troyer. By day, Anthony is a dedicated Florida farmer managing massive potato rows. But when the work is done, he swaps the tractor cab for a cockpit, hitting the NHRA drag strip to chase down the win light. ?? Whether he's navigating the fields in his Fendt equipment or tearing up the blacktop, Anthony knows that precision and horsepower are the keys to success.