The Louisa County Conservation casted their vote to award an elementary teacher for her outstanding work with students and environmental teaching. Fifth grade teacher Michelle Helscher took advantage of the partnership with the conservation department and brought the lessons outdoors with their own milkweed garden. This has allowed students to learn about why milkweed is important for monarch butterflies, and how to further stimulate the butterfly population. Helscher’s dedication to environmental education has led her to win the Bohumil Shimek Environmental Educator Award.

Helscher tells KCII News how she felt winning this award, “They (naturalists) work with kids, but to have a teacher that partners with you and really takes it a step further than just, ‘Oh, this is a field trip and you’re going to teach the kids about nature and I’m just going to sit here and watch’. I don’t do that. I play a game with the kids on one of the rotations, and I have helped encourage us with our partnership with Monsanto to keep that going and getting the kids out and about even more. I do enjoy getting outside with the kids. I would rather go on a field trip where they’re walking around and looking at nature than sitting in a museum or something like that.” Helscher says the award is given based on recommendations from naturalists. She looks to continue to find innovative ways to teach kids about nature and continue the good relationship with the local conservation department.