Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! Teachers: THANK YOU for all the energy, support and creativity you pour into your classrooms every day. Our Dairy Leaders of Tomorrow teachers are passionate about shaping the next generation of dairy leaders, so this week, we want to showcase a few who are going above and beyond for their students and communities. Thank you to everyone who submitted nominations for this spotlight series! We know our teachers are the heart of our school communities, and we are inspired by the difference you are making.
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Meet Todd Biddle
Todd Biddle is a twelfth-grade agriculture teacher in Wingate, Pennsylvania.
For Todd Biddle, the dairy industry will always be very special to him. His success as a dairy goat judge nationally was initiated by his 4-H, FFA, and Collegiate Dairy Cattle judging coaches. He learned how to approach a class and appropriately apply a standard to meet industry goals. To this day, he continues to breed dairy goats. He works with several farms who want to purchase animals to improve the milk production in their herds. Todd also loves writing and writes Hall of Fame Articles for the Belgian Draft Horse Corporation of America
In the classroom, he loves making dairy products with his students and works to make sure they understand the treats they love and how they were made – so they can become informed consumers of agriculture products their entire life.
What’s his favorite memory of teaching? “Having students recognized as state winners in competitions, especially the students who are not used to winning prestigious awards. I love teaching public speaking. It’s so exciting to watch the growth of speakers knowing that they become community leaders and excel at a skill you exposed them to.”
Meet Cierra Essock
Cierra Essock is an eighth through 12th-grade teacher who teachers agriculture in Fox Lake, Wisconsin.
For Cierra Essock, dairy cows will always hold a special place in her heart. One of her passions is public speaking across the dairy industry, including announcing at cow shows and getting the opportunity to recognize producers’ and exhibitors’ successes. Cierra was a Top Candidate for Wisconsin’s Alice in Dairyland position in 2024. This opportunity allowed her to learn about Wisconsin’s agriculture industries, including mink farming, aquaculture, and snap beans.
Cierra uses the Dairy Leaders of Tomorrow program as a basis for her entire Dairy Science curriculum, and she likes to weave in her own dairy farming experiences as well.
What is one of her favorite teaching moments?“I was teaching one of my seniors about dairy farm management and she shouted, “Oh, I get it now!” She was finally able to make the connection to the tasks that she did every day [on her family’s dairy farm] to the reason why it was important to the dairy industry. As a busy agriculture teacher, the DLT curriculum is a great resource to use in the classroom. I am able to use it as a basis for an entire Dairy Science curriculum as well as add in my own dairy farming experiences.”
Meet Jenna Kibbe
Jenna Kibbe is a high school teacher who teaches agricultural science, food science, and more in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.
From purchase orders to fundraising to starting a new outreach program at the elementary schools, Jenna Kibbe has worked hard to get students involved in agriculture inside and outside of the classroom. She coordinated for 18 students to prepare for careers in dairy science by attending the Dairy Leaders of Tomorrow on-farm experience that was hosted this fall. Jenna also incorporates her personal love of agriculture and the environment by having a National Park assignment in her Environmental and Natural Resources classes where she brings in tents to have students practice setting them up. Jenna coordinated the fourth grade Agventure Day, sharing agricultural literacy with all 800+ fourth grade students in the school district.
With her outreach committee in FFA, her high school students have been traveling to the elementary schools all year long to increase their knowledge of agriculture. Jenna continues to innovate with new FFA activities such as an “Ag in Action: Get Excited for Agriculture” which is a monthly outreach program that serves 300 fifth grade students across all eight elementary schools in her district.
What’s her impact?“Jenna always tries her best to have a smile on her face and a positive outlook on life. Her positivity is contagious across the department and deserves to be recognized and appreciated. As an agricultural teacher, Jenna incorporates agriculture into all of her classes,” shared one of her colleagues.
Meet Beth Evangelista
Beth Evangelista is a high school teacher who teaches General Animal Science and Livestock Production in Northampton, Massachusetts.
Beth Evangelista has been involved in agriculture for most of her life, from horseback riding to raising livestock. FFA has been one of the most impactful experiences of her life, both as a member and now as an advisor. One of her favorite activities is taking students to the National FFA Convention. For many of them, it is their first opportunity to experience agriculture on a national scale. Through farm tours, they see agricultural operations far larger than those typically found in Massachusetts.
Recently, Beth organized and led her school’s first international agriculture tour, a nine-day Food and Sustainable Agriculture trip to Northern Italy. Over the course of the trip, she watched students grow in confidence, develop independence, and broaden their understanding of global agriculture. She also works to expand hands-on learning opportunities, and she has been using the Dairy Leaders of Tomorrow curriculum for more than 10 years. Beth helped introduce a poultry processing course and reestablished an Artificial Insemination class for students.
What is her ‘why?’ “My inspiration to become an Animal Science teacher began through my involvement in FFA. As an active member of my local FFA chapter and later serving as an FFA officer, I discovered a passion for mentoring fellow students and supporting their growth and achievements. More than 20 years later, I am now in my 30th year of teaching. I continue to experience the same sense of fulfillment and pride as I watch my students learn, grow, and achieve success.”
Meet Robin Durila
Robin Durila is a twelfth-grade agriculture teacher in Washington, Pennsylvania.
Robin Durila’s love for agriculture comes from the meaningful experiences she has had working within the agriculture industry and growing up on a dairy farm. Some of her favorite teaching activities are hands-on lessons that bring agriculture to life in the classroom. Making butter with students is always a highlight, as they get to see and participate in the transformation from cream to a finished product. Another meaningful experience is incubating chicken eggs. Students are fully engaged throughout the process, from learning about development to watching the chicks hatch. It creates a sense of responsibility and curiosity that is hard to replicate with traditional instruction.
Robin also teaches floral design, where students can express creativity while learning practical skills. These activities combine hands-on learning with real-world applications, helping students stay engaged while building lasting knowledge and skills.
What is her ‘why?’ “Growing up on a dairy farm taught me the value of hard work, responsibility, and patience. I saw firsthand how learning is a continuous process, whether it was improving herd health, managing crops, or solving everyday problems on the farm. That experience shaped my desire to help others grow in the same way. I want to support students as they build confidence, develop skills, and reach their full potential.”