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Sioux Central Ag Instructor Named Iowa Teacher Of The Year

December 10, 2024 Steve Schwaller

(Sioux Rapids)– A northwest Iowa ag instructor has been named as Iowa’s Teacher of the Year. Melanie Bloom, a teacher at Sioux Central in Sioux Rapids, was presented with the award during an assembly Monday. She says keeping up with the ever changing technology in agriculture is a challenge but she also finds it rewarding for her and her students…

“I really rely a lot on our alumni and our community and the agriculture industry as a whole to help me bring kids up on the topics of importance. It’s not possible for me to be a master of all trades so I really depend on outside help and industry experts to help me get our students where they need to be so they’re ready for careers in agriculture.”

Bloom says Sioux Central’s new greenhouse, which opened at the beginning of this school year, is making a big difference…  

“The second week of school and we are really enjoying it. We’re already seeing a lot more interest in ag classes because it’s one more hands-on opportunity for our students to participate in. We have a ball. I love going out and spending some time in the sunshine with our students and growing some plants that we’re going to be marketing to the local community.”

Bloom was selected as Teacher of the Year from nine finalists who were named last month as Iowa’s first-ever Regional Teacher of the Year, representing all education regions of the state. Bloom was recognized as the Prairie Lakes Regional Teacher of the Year.

(Courtesy Community First Broadcasting station KAYL in Storm Lake)

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