Branching Out

Daniel Jankins Academy Teacher Incorporates Hands-On Lessons in Agriculture, Sustainability and More

- TERESA SCHIFFER

THOSE IN THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES understand very well just how important agriculture and the environment are to any society, as well as the value of teaching the younger generations their significance. Our teachers and educators hold the future in their hands, molding young minds into productive, caring citizens with well-formed critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Tara Boucher is one such Polk County instructor making a positive impact at Daniel Jenkins Academy in Haines City.

Boucher has been teaching for 21 years and has covered a wide range of subjects over the course of her career, including math, social studies, creative writing, Spanish, and lots of science. For the past three years, she has been at Daniel Jenkins Academy empowering the middle school students to work together to ask questions and seek answers through research and experimentation in her environmental science class.

The passion Boucher feels for earth and space science keeps her motivated to explore the realms of ecology, sustainability, agriculture, solar energy and more with her students. That enthusiasm generates a truly constructive reaction in her students, who overwhelmingly enjoy participating in her class. Through hands-on projects with realworld applications, Boucher engages students to connect with their world in a more meaningful way.