Breese Teacher Sandra Jansen Named 2027 Illinois Ag in the Classroom Teacher of the Year

Sandra Jansen, a Breese Elementary School social studies teacher known for sharing her experiences growing up on a dairy farm, was named the 2027 Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom (IAITC) Teacher of the Year.

“I didn’t see it coming. Everyone was so secretive. The kids had made cards and posters. My family showed up,” she told FarmWeek of the surprise assembly in Breese when the award was announced.

The southern Illinois teacher in Clinton County, who calls herself an agriculture “cheerleader,” connects ag with other topics.

“We are constantly coming back to agriculture in my classroom. We talk about natural resources — renewable and nonrenewable — and we study the economy,” she said. “In Clinton County, we are centered around agriculture.

“Agriculture is more than just a tractor going down a road,” she continued. “It’s an important and vital part of our community.”

To help tell agriculture’s story, Jansen has attended multiple IAITC-related professional development opportunities and incorporates new materials and IAITC resources in her daily curriculum, said Kevin Daugherty, IAITC education director.

Jansen uses agriculture to strengthen her students’ critical thinking skills, problem-solving and teamwork. Her passion for ag and the foundation she lays has influenced many of her students to pursue careers in ag, environmental sciences and related fields, Daugherty said.

“Our Clinton County Farm Bureau and the Agriculture in the Classroom program help me bring these ideas to life. Through the books, supplemental materials and creative lessons they provide, I can make agricultural connections meaningful, engaging and accessible to my students,” Jansen said.

“These resources allow me to build on our curriculum and give students opportunities to learn about agriculture in ways that connect directly to their own experiences. Susan Kleiboeker, our Clinton County ag literacy coordinator, is a huge help to me, and I appreciate all of her extra steps,” she said.

Jansen will be recognized at the 2026 Illinois Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in Chicago and will receive a trip to the 2027 National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She will also be the Illinois nominee for the USDA National Excellence in Teaching Agriculture Award.

For Jansen, going to the national event in Oklahoma is “an educational field day” where she will see demonstrations and learn from others. She looks forward to sharing a lesson or two she teaches to students, one featuring ice cream.

“We use local ingredients to make homemade ice cream,” she said. “We talk about what we can put on it to make it even yummier and what is nutritional and what is not.”