Elkhorn Area High School Agriculture teacher David Kruse is a finalist for the Wisconsin Association for Environmental Education Formal Educator of the Year award.
From the WAEE website:
“Although I have always enjoyed spending time outdoors, I am experiencing a new awareness and excitement for helping others learn from nature.”
At Elkhorn Area School District, David Kruse has transformed environmental education into lived experience. Teaching Forestry, Wildlife, Natural Resource Management, and Environmental Sustainability, he integrates sustainability across agriculture education while creating tangible learning opportunities.
He mentored a student in securing approval and funding for a 10kW solar array that now powers 75% of his agriculture classroom, a project that sparked state-winning FFA teams. He helped establish three district school forests and manages the 26-acre Market Street School Forest, expanding trails, removing invasive species, and launching AgVentures–Forestry for 200 first graders annually. Accessibility drives his leadership including securing a motorized all-terrain wheelchair so all students can access outdoor learning spaces.