Baxter teacher wins 
environmental award

Students filled the bleachers of the Baxter school gymnasium Monday morning. What was believed by some to possibly be a pep rally turned out to be a time to honor one of their own.

Pat Trotter, fourth-grade teacher at Baxter, was surprised when Jasper County Conservation Board naturalists Katie Cantu and Nathan Unsworth called her to the gym floor. Trotter looked stunned as she walked down the bleachers to receive one of the highest awards for environmental education in the state.

Trotter, who will retire from teaching at the end of the school year, was awarded the 2009 Bohumil Shimeck Environmental Education Award. The award is given to one educator in Iowa each year by the Iowa Association of Naturalists and Iowa Conservation Education Coalition.

“Thanks for the wonderful environmental award,” said Trotter, after receiving the honor. “It’s a pleasure to get an award for something you love to do, and that is teach young minds about conservation education.”

Cantu, who nominated Trotter for the honor, said the Baxter teacher is serious and passionate when it comes to teaching students about environmental studies.

“She is a very upbeat and positive person, and she makes learning fun for kids,” Cantu said. “She promotes conservation and education by bringing in a number of professionals to work with her class, field trips to Neal Smith Wildlife Refuge and many other activities that really promote conservation.”

Unsworth said he has always admired Trotter for her commitment to educating youngsters about the environment and her passion for the subject is contagious.

“Mrs. Trotter is one of the most energetic teachers in Jasper County,” Unsowrth said. “She is always looking for new and exciting ways to engage her students, especially with it comes to science and the environment. Many teachers feel that they cannot stray too far from the set curriculums anymore, but Mrs. Trotter looks at the curriculum and makes everything fit. It really enhances her students learning experience.”

Among the most popular programs Trotter offers in her class is the annual field trip to Springbrook State Park, where students spend the night learning about wildlife and the outdoors first hand.

Although Trotter was excited about receiving the award, she quickly turned to others in recognition for the accomplishment.

“First I would like to thank Katie Cantu and Nathan Unsworth, our Jasper County conservationists for nominating me,” she said. “They, too, have given so much to the science programs here in Jasper County. They are the best conservationists. ... Thanks to our superintendent, Neil Seales, who has let us go to Springbrook Education Center for the past 26 years when other surrounding superintendents would not let their teachers and students. Thanks to our school board that allowed our fourth graders to go to Springbrook.”

Trotter also took time to thank her students and her colleagues at the school.

“The vision statement of Baxter School as the fourth graders will tell you with their fist in the air is ‘I can be successful.’ It takes a school family to help these students be successful,” she said. “It’s nice to receive awards for doing what you love to do, but this award was earned by all the above people mentioned.”

Jessica Lowe can be contacted at 792-3121 ext. 426 or via e-mail at jlowe@newtondailynews.com.