Paula Peterson loves bringing her farm work to school, or having the school come to her farm. For the past 15 years, she and husband Tom, who farm near Waverly, Neb., have been taking calves, sheep and other furry farm critters to students in classrooms in Lincoln, Omaha, Columbus, Prague, Ceresco and Howells — and hosting some of those same students on the farm as well.

Through the Agriculture in the Classroom program, they have connected with teachers, students and schools — basically bringing the farm to the students and building bridges between those youth, their teachers and the farm, where their food comes from.

That’s why Peterson has so many complimentary things to say about Ellen Hellerich, who was honored this year at the 106th Nebraska Farm Bureau (NEFB) convention with the organization’s highest award, the Silver Eagle.

Longtime coordinator

Hellerich served as the statewide program coordinator for Nebraska Agriculture in the Classroom from 1984 until 2011. The program in Nebraska was basically built by Hellerich and her team.

“Because of Ellen Hellerich, we farmers have a platform to share our farms with students all over the state,” Peterson says. “This free-to-the-teacher program has impacted multitudes of students and teachers over the past 15 years that our family has been a part of Ag in the Classroom.

“Not only are the students impacted by our pen pal friendships, but their families and their teachers also get to see a sliver of a life not many see in their day-to-day lives,” Peterson adds. “I love the comments I get from parents who visit our farm about how they remember visiting their grandparents’ farms as kids and are so happy to have that opportunity for their children.”

HONORABLE: Ellen Hellerich, Silver Eagle award winner for 2023, poses with her husband, Gary (right), and NEFB President Mark McHargue at the 106th annual NEFB convention in Kearney, Neb.

In a Nebraska Farm Bureau video, Hellerich talked about how she got the job as coordinator. “I interviewed for the job,” she said, “but didn’t know what it entailed, what I actually was going to do.”

Ag in the Classroom at the time was new, so when she was hired, Hellerich was tasked with developing the program in Nebraska from the ground up, with support from the University of Nebraska and NEFB.

She said in the interview that attending national conferences helped her team learn about lesson plans and new activities to try, including the Ag Pen Pals program, which matches classrooms and teachers with farmers as pen pals.

“I had contact with Farm Bureau members, so we got the names of farmers and ranchers so we could start this program,” Hellerich said. “We sent out letters, and I would have been happy if I had 50 responses. But we got 100-plus from farmers and ranchers, so then I had to go out and get 100 teachers.”

An elite program

Hellerich believes that Nebraska has one of the elite such programs in the country, and she credits the support from UNL and Farm Bureau with that success. Her advice for the future was simple.

“Continue,” she said. “Continue the good work. Reach as many students and classrooms and teachers as you can, and don’t forget about the students who will be teachers. Continuing that contact with farmers and ranchers is very, very important.”

Hellerich and her husband, Gary, farm near Valparaiso, Neb., growing corn and soybeans, along with Angus cattle. They have three grown children, six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Other awards from the annual Farm Bureau convention included the Collegiate Discussion Meet championship, which went to Abygail Streff, Pierce, Neb.; and the Young Farmers and Ranchers Discussion Meet championship, which went to Joe Melnick, Adams/Webster County Farm Bureau.

Josh and Jill England, Hall County Farm Bureau, were honored with the Excellence in Agriculture award. Ryan Musgrave, Ong, Neb., won the Young Farmers and Ranchers Achievement in Agriculture award.

Learn more at nefb.org.