Two NDSU Distance and Continuing Education instructors will be presented with awards at the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference in Baltimore, June 24-26. The award winners, Ginger Deitz and Jill Vigesaa, are instructors of the widely recognized Food, Land and People workshop series for PreK-12 educators throughout North Dakota. 

Deitz, who also is a fourth grade teacher at Bennett Elementary in Fargo, earned the national Teacher of Excellence Award for her commitment to educating her students about agriculture. She is one of only five educators nationwide to receive the honor.

Vigesaa will receive the first-ever Ag Advocate Award. She is the only national winner. Vigesaa also works for the Foster County Soil Conservation District and was instrumental on the writing team for the nationally recognized curriculum of Food, Land and People. She serves as the state coordinator for North Dakota and is on the national steering committee.

Gail Bakko, North Dakota Farm Bureau director of special programs, nominated both educators. Bakko serves as the state contact for the North Dakota Agriculture in the Classroom program. “It is a pleasure to work with this talented team of educators who understand the importance of educating the next generation of consumers on the role agriculture plays in our everyday life,” Bakko said.

“We would like to congratulate Deitz and Vigesaa for their national awards. Their dedication to quality instruction really exemplifies the caliber of courses NDSU has to offer,” said Lisa Nordick, assistant dean of NDSU Distance and Continuing Education.

The Food, Land and People series is offered through a partnership between NDSU’s Department of Distance and Continuing Education and North Dakota Department of Agriculture, home of the state program of Agriculture in the Classroom. “This successful partnership has been instrumental in reaching hundreds of educators and students over the last several years,” Bakko said.