Cabarrus Soil and Water Conservation District earns state awards
In addition to being the N.C. Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts’ (NCASWCD) Conservation Education District of the Year, Cabarrus can now call itself the home of the Secondary Conservation Teacher of the Year and a N.C. Soil and Water District Hall of Famer.
Cabarrus received the honors during a statewide event January 9 through 11.
Soil and Water Conservation Education District of the Year
Cabarrus County’s Resource Conservation Coordinator became part of the SWCD several years ago. The addition of an education-specific position helped the department build deeper community connections and stronger partnerships.
Prior to adding the position, Cabarrus SWCD averaged about 4,000 yearly contacts with local students and parents. “Through a lot of self-promoting and making good contacts, the district taught over 4,700 people and made more than 7,000 contacts” in 2020, according to the award application. “This direct contact with students is a fundamental part of conservation education.”
The organization now offers classes from preschool to 12th grade, along with professional development. And “teachers are beginning to see Cabarrus SWCD as a place for resources,” the application said. “Teachers have contacted us multiple times to provide technical assistance and/or specialty programs for their students.”
“The goal has always been to educate on the importance of conserving natural resources and agriculture in our community,” said SWDC Resource Conservation Coordinator Tammi Remsburg. “We are honored as a district to accept the NC Association’s District of the Year award.”
Secondary Conservation Teacher of the Year
The robust agriculture program and FFA chapter at Mt. Pleasant Middle is only in its fifth year, but it’s already a leading program statewide. Much of that success can be attributed to the leadership of Agriculture Science teacher Ashleigh Miller.
According to the award application, Miller’s students helped build raised beds, planted shrubs, constructed a fence for brush goats and have even more school beautification plans. “Our ultimate goal for agriculture teaching facilities is to have our own small-scale sustainable farm,” the application said. With these interactive experiences, “students spend more of their time outside and moving while improving their knowledge of environmental issues, causes and solutions … we hope to inspire students to look into careers in agriculture, food and natural resources.”
At Mt. Pleasant Middle, eighth graders take a course called exploring biotechnology, which helps expand their minds on ways to creatively improve the world. Seventh graders take Exploring Animal and Plant Science, which teaches sustainable agricultural practices. This past year, the learning expanded to sixth graders with a course called Fundamentals of Agricultural Science, which introduces opportunities in agriculture, food and natural resources.
“Ashleigh is an inspiration to her students,” Remsburg said. “This award is well deserved.”
In the early days of the agricultural program at Mt. Pleasant, Miller received guidance and support from a longtime Cabarrus educator Ned Hudson - who also was honored during the event.
Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts Hall of Fame
Ned Hudson, who passed away December 7, 2021, started his tenue in soil and water conservation as a vocational agriculture teacher in Rowan County before moving to Mt. Pleasant High School. He taught for 33 years and served in a variety of leadership roles with FFA. Hudson served as a land judging advisor, and several of his teams made it to the national competition. His FFA teams were also winners in state and regional competitions multiple times. After retirement, Hudson continued helping area youth through his involvement with Envirothons and district contests and awards ceremonies. He also taught in the district’s yearly AgDays for years.
Hudson was elected to the Cabarrus Soil & Water Board of Supervisors in 1996. He continued on the board for 24 years until his health required retirement in 2020. He also served on the NC Foundation for Soil & Water Conservation board, and was vice-chair in 2008.
“Ned was beloved by the entire Cabarrus County community and beyond,” Remsburg said. “Everyone that was touched by his teaching or leadership skills will never forget him. Cabarrus SWCD is thrilled to have Ned inducted as our first member of the Soil & Water Hall of Fame.”
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