Teacher of the Year has an Ag background

Iowa’s Teacher of the Year for 2000 was named today — Thomas Paulsenteaches agriculture education at Carroll High School. The Atlantic nativewas born on a family farm and graduated from high school in 1983 at thebeginning of the farm crisis. Paulsen says his family’s farm was eventuallylost, but not his dreams.The 34-year-old Paulsen counts himself as very fortunate to be teaching ageducation in Carroll where he says there is tremendous community andadministrative support.Paulsen’s mother was a teacher in rural schools too. Many people have theperception that ag ed is disappearing from the schools in Iowa andnationwide, but Paulsen says that’s just not the case.Governor Vilsack will honor Paulsen during an awards luncheon early nextyear in Des Moines. As Iowa’s Teacher of the Year, Paulsen will be granted aone-year sabbatical beginning in July 2000. During that time, he’ll visitschools and communities as Iowa’s “Ambassador for Education.”