News Release
For more information:
Julie Fritsch, NAAE Communications/Marketing Coordinator
Phone: (859) 257-2224
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – November 2014
Missoula County Public Schools Agriculture Teacher Selected for Educator Award
Nashville, Tenn. – Kristy Rothe, agricultural educator at Missoula County Public Schools in Missoula, Mont., is one of only six individuals nationwide who received the National Association of Agricultural Educators Ideas Unlimited Award at the NAAE annual convention in Nashville, Tenn.
Rothe developed her idea at a Montana school where she previously taught – Victor School. Nestled in the valley of Bitterroot Mountains, Victor School is surrounded by an abundance of wildlife and hunting is a very popular pastime. Rothe saw an opportunity to help students connect with their unique environment when she purchased a colony of dermestid beetles from a local taxidermist two years ago. These beetles feed on dry-moist animal material and are used to clean flesh off of animal bones.
In Rothe’s wildlife and forestry class the beetles were used to clean a variety of game species that are harvested from the surrounding area. The students learned different methods to evaluate and score the cleaned skulls by studying the history, charts and instructions from the Boone & Crockett Club, founded in 1887 by Theodore Roosevelt. Students also dissected muscles, brains, eyes and other tissues from the game heads while preparing the skulls for the beetles. Additionally, students were given the opportunity to bring in their own deer to be skinned, cleaned by the beetles, and then evaluated and scored. Once an entire skeleton has been cleaned, students are given the box of bones and reassemble the skeleton.
The beetles have also provided a fundraising opportunity for the FFA chapter. The chapter charges 20 dollars per skull for European mounts, a type of mount that preserves only the skulls specimen. Preparing the skulls for community members give students another opportunity to practice their newfound skills, the FFA chapter makes extra profits, and the beetles have another source of food. As the colony size has increased, agriculture students built a 10’x12’ insulated shed, providing a more controlled environment for the beetles and more efficient way for students to process the prepared skulls.
“The beetle colony has become a great tool to market the program to potential students and the community,” Rothe said. “I am sure there are countless other educational opportunities that beetles can provide.”
Each of the six regional Ideas Unlimited winners was recognized at the NAAE convention in Nashville. National Geographic Learning | Delmar Cengage Learning sponsors the Ideas Unlimited Award. NAAE is the professional association for agricultural educators. Its mission is “professionals providing agricultural education for the global community through visionary leadership, advocacy and service.” The NAAE office is located in Lexington, Ky.
###