WAIC Recognizes 2010 Exemplary Educator
Kathy Tatman of Trail Elementary School, in Torrington as the recipient of the
Wyoming Agriculture in the Classroom award.

Mrs. Kathy Tatman, a fourth grade teacher from Trail Elementary School, Goshen County Unified School District #1 in Torrington, Wyoming was nominated by her peers for the 2010 Exemplary Educator of the Year award. For many years, Mrs. Tatman has been enriching their classrooms with a program called "Eating Your Way Through Wyoming History", a program under the auspices of the WY Extension Service. Kathy has extended the activity to include the importance of agriculture in Wyoming. She is highly qualified and deserving of this award because of her dedication to helping students learn about agriculture, nutrition, hygiene and health integrated with Wyoming Social Studies curriculum. This award will honor her in retirement, as she does not intend to teach in the 2010-2011 school year.

Mrs. Tatman has been recognized for her talents in the past as well. Most of Mrs. Tatman's prior awards have been in Goshen and Albany Counties. She has been a 4-H Leader for 23 years, showing her storing belief in agriculture and youth. Mrs. Tatman has been a Superintendent of the Sheep Lead and Supreme Ewe Contest in both counties. She has been a clerk at the swine show during the Goshen county fair. Her husband, Wayne, has been a County Extension Agent and rancher, and he gives her much praise for her support as wife, mother of three sons, helpers, and assistant over the years.

Kathy has received awards for being an Outstanding 4-H Leader, and an Outstanding 4-H Alumni. In both Goshen and Albany counties she has received FFA Alumni awards, and also has received the Honorary State FFA Farmer award.

Mrs. Tatman graduated from the University of Wyoming with a degree in Child and Family Studies and her career has been spent helping others learn and grow. She worked at the UW lab Pre-School in Laramie, and she ahs always loved working with children of all ages. She was awarded the Outstanding Centsible Nutrition Project Coordinator. In 2008, Mrs. Tatman worked with the Goshen Count PE teacher and present a 4th grade unit called the "the Last Orange on Earth...A child's View. Another project that she helped facilitate was Wellness in the Rockies, a four-state project focusing on health, nutrition, and physical activity. Many of Mrs. Tatman's students remember her because of the nutrition program she conducted at the second grade level called "Marty Moose". They always look forward to having Mrs. Tatman in their class!

Past Winners of Exemplary Teacher of the Year Award

2009
Patricia Russell - Little Snake River Valley

2008
Mrs. Virginia Wright - Niobrara
Danielle Cox-Kunkel - Laramie

2007
Sandra Johnson - Lusk
Laurie Wasserburger - Lusk

2006
Shelly Falkenburg - Douglas

2005
Joanne Pearson - Buffalo

2004
Brant Jungck - Poison Spider
Elizabeth David - Pinedale
Jason Williams - Kaycee

2003
Scott Studie - Kaycee
Jay Butler - Douglas
Carrie Johnson - Lander

2002
Nancy Tsandes - Cheyenne
Becky Butler - Cheyenne
Evelyn Mancell - Cheyenne
Connie Whitaker - Cheyenne

2001
Thomas Miller - Powell

2000
Millie Abernathy - Lander
Marty Higginbotham - Hudson
Teresa Tucker - Lusk
Wava Tully - Lusk
Anita Troudt - Lusk
Holly Nelson - Lusk

1999
Mary Owens - Midwest