By Scout Nelson
Alysha Kientopf, a graduate of South Dakota State University, earns major recognition as she is named the Region III Outstanding Agricultural Education Teacher by the National Association of Agricultural Educators.
This honor celebrates her strong work in teaching, leadership, and student development within agriculture education. As the Region III winner, she will move forward to the national competition that takes place during the NAAE conference in December.
Before earning the regional award, Kientopf first receives the statewide title as the Outstanding Agricultural Teacher in South Dakota. She then competes with top educators from Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin to win the regional award.
Her recognition highlights her dedication to classroom instruction, FFA advising, program growth, and strong support for agricultural education.
The award looks at several areas of excellence. These include hands-on teaching in classrooms and laboratories, coaching competitive teams, guiding Supervised Agricultural Experience projects, leading FFA activities, building partnerships with communities, and helping students grow into future leaders. Kientopf says her experience at SDSU helps shape her teaching style and confidence as an educator. She explains that her professors, hands-on learning, and leadership opportunities give her the skills she uses every day.
Kientopf completes her bachelor’s degree in agriculture education in 2016 and finishes her master’s degree in 2022 while teaching at Garretson High School, her own high school. Today, she continues to teach agriculture courses at Garretson, including plant science, animal science, agribusiness, leadership, and introductory agriculture pathways.
She also advises the FFA chapter, coaches student teams, and guides students with their SAE projects. In addition, she helps organize community events and supports student-led activities throughout the school year.
She is also active in state agriculture groups, serving as past president of the South Dakota Association of Agriculture Educators and as a member of both the South Dakota FFA Association and Foundation boards.
The award-winning educator maintains that her SDSU education directly impacted her career and helps her teach the next generation of agriculturalists. “The hands-on experiences, mentorship from dedicated professors and opportunities to lead within agricultural education gave me both the skills and the confidence to step into the classroom prepared,” Kientopf said.
Photo Credit: south-dakota-state-university
Categories: South Dakota, Education