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Three alumni of the South ��ֱ���� State University College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences have received South ��ֱ���� Association of Career and Technical Educators Excellence ��ֱ����s. Andy Jensen, Tanner Peterson and Charlene Weber were among eight award winners honored for their contributions in the classroom and student success.

Laura Hasselquist, assistant professor of agriculture education at SDSU, said that the SDACTE awards represent the hard work teachers are doing.

“It’s a good way to really showcase [teachers’] excellence,” Hasselquist said. “It’s their peers,
other teachers, people they respect and value within their field recognizing their excellence.”

The SDACTE mission is “to provide leadership and resources to CTE professionals in South ��ֱ���� to cultivate a highly skilled and competitive workforce.” The organization recognizes outstanding CTE professionals and programs annually through state-level excellence awards.
 
Andy Jensen, Marion School

Andy Jensen, agriculture educator in Marion, South ��ֱ����, was named the SDACTE Teacher of the Year. Jensen graduated from SDSU in 2012 and previously received the Agriculture Teacher of the Year award while teaching in Chester, South ��ֱ����. He believes that creating a classroom environment where students can take risks, ask questions and grow through engaging projects and inquiry-based learning will help them not only understand the content but also apply it in real-world situations. 

“At the core of my teaching is the belief that when you put students first, their needs, their growth and their success, the rest will naturally fall into place,” Jensen said. “To me, this award represents more than just personal achievements, it reflects the hard work, dedication and grit I have poured into my students, my programs and the broader CTE community. It validates the countless hours of effort, the challenges overcome, and the commitment to building programs that make a lasting impact.”
 
Tanner Peterson, Tri-Valley High School

Tanner Peterson, agriculture educator at Tri-Valley High School in Colton, South ��ֱ����, was selected for the New Teacher of The Year award. After graduating from SDSU in 2022, Peterson said he has focused on bringing real-world applications and student engagement into his classroom. To achieve those goals, he said he utilizes hands-on labs, internships, interactive lessons, Future Farmers of America (FFA) involvement and student ownership of their learning. 

“Winning this award as a newer ag teacher is incredibly meaningful to me, it shows that my peers, community and students all truly believe in what I am trying to do,” Peterson said. “It represents the hard work, passion and dedication I’ve put into building my program and supporting my students in these first few years of my career. More importantly, it reflects the success and growth of my students, who are the reason I do what I do every day.”

Charlene Weber, Howard High School

Charlene Weber, an agriculture educator in Howard, South ��ֱ����, was named the winner of the ACTE Carl Perkins Community Service ��ֱ����. According the SDACTE, “The Carl Perkins Community Service ��ֱ���� recognizes individuals who have used CTE to make a significant impact on their community and demonstrated leadership in programs and activities that promote student involvement in community service.”
 
In her application, Weber shared about her students’ collaboration with more than 20 district community stakeholders including seven businesses, one restaurant and multiple family farms. She also explained how her student learning projects, including an Honoring Heroes Breakfast for veterans, community garden shed project, feed a farmer day and an interactive farm ��ֱ���� experience, are connected back to the community.
 
One common thread for each award winner was their starting point at SDSU. For Jensen it made a path for choosing a career in agriculture education. 

“When I first started [at SDSU] I was on track to work for Extension, but through the guidance and support of many professors, instructors and mentors, I discovered my true passion for education,” Jensen said. “Their dedication to teaching, genuine interest in me as a student and encouragement helped shape both my personal growth and my career path. I am forever grateful to these individuals for helping me find my direction and inspiring me to pursue a career in
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Peterson credits attending SDSU with both personal and professional growth.

“My time at SDSU played a huge role in shaping both who I am as a person and the educator I am today. The program challenged me to step outside my comfort zone, develop strong leadership skills and gain a strong understanding of agricultural education,” Peterson said. “SDSU gave me the confidence to walk into a classroom ready to make a difference. The experiences and relationships I built there continue to influence how I teach, how I mentor students and how I approach my career every day.”
 
Each of the award winners were first nominated within their division, like new teacher of the year, in their respective areas like administration, health sciences, business education or agricultural education. The nomination was then followed by an application from the candidate about their work in that area. After being selected as the finalist in their respective division and area by a representative from their field, they advance to the SDACTE ��ֱ����s and applications committee. At the state level the committee has a representative from each area that selects the overall award winner based on a rubric specific to each award. State award winners will now submit their applications at the regional level for consideration.