A+ educators
Rio Rancho and Las Cruces teachers recognized for work in the classroom
RIO RANCHO — Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary fifth-grade teacher John Turrietta always strives to find innovative ways to engage children in the classroom, from growing chiles with hydroponics to bringing guest speakers to discuss water issues.
That creativity helped the Rio Rancho Public Schools veteran earn the 2015 N.M. Ag in the Classroom Educator of the Year award from the New Mexico Farm & Livestock Bureau.
He formally received the honor earlier this month at the N.M. Farm & Livestock Bureau Conference Buckles & Boots ‘Fun’raiser.
“It is great,” Turrietta said. “Agriculture has always been an interest for me. It is part of our history.”
To Turrietta, incorporating agriculture in curriculum shows students interesting real-world applications for math, science and technology — skills that can lead to lucrative careers.
The farm industry also touches on a variety of other areas such as business and food processing, Turrietta said.
“When you think of agriculture, that is a huge field,” he said. “No matter what your interest is, there is probably a connection to agriculture.”
Most recently, Turrietta and his class have been gearing up to grow chiles with hydroponics, which uses nutrient solution in place of soil.
The students have researched the best chile varieties, and Turrietta reached out to experts from the Chile Pepper Institute for input.
He said they are all looking forward to watching the plants grow — and sampling the produce.
The project is funded by a $1,500 CHS Foundation grant that Turrietta learned about at New Mexico State University’s 2015 “Get WOW’d!” workshop. The summer conference covered current research, technology and career fields related to agricultural sciences.
“You are always trying to come up with something that the kids will enjoy,” Turrietta said. “The students are all really looking forward to the chiles. ... When you are competing with video games and action movies, you want to come up with something different that they wouldn’t do.”
Chiles are a fitting subject for Turrietta, a New Mexico native whose roots in the state stretch all the way back to Spain’s 1692 Atrisco Land Grant.
The University of New Mexico graduate has taught in Rio Rancho for 22 years.
Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary principal Kathy House said that Turrietta deserves recognition for his ability to “get outside the box” on his own initiative and make connections with his students.
“He has real-world conversations with them and sets a high standard academically,” she said. “The respect between him and his students is very mutual. ... He is an example of the great things that go on in classrooms every day.”