BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Mr. Adam, the garden educator at the Buena Vista Edible Schoolyard, has made it to the quarterfinals of the “America’s Favorite Teacher” competition.
- Who is America's favorite teacher?
- For many parents and students in Bakersfield, Mr. Adam is at the top of that list.
- Voting for semi-finalists ends on Thursday, April 17 at 7pm.
- Visit this link to visit Mr. Adam’s page, where you can vote for him in the competition.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Adam Montoya grew up farming, with his family very involved in agriculture.
“I really in my heart, I really believe in what we do here. And I believe in the importance of teaching kids why it’s important to grow your own food,” said Montoya.
Almost three years ago, Montoya became “Mr. Adam” to students at the Buena Vista Elementary School, teaching kindergarten through sixth grade.
23ABC neighborhood reporter Avery Elowitt talked to some of Mr. Adam’s students.
She asked Harper, a sixth grader at Buena Vista Elementary School,
“Let’s say someone has never been here before. How would you describe the garden?”
Harper responded, “The best place ever.”
Avery Elowitt followed up with, “What do you like about it?”
To which Harper responded, “Mr. Adam.”
Students say Mr. Adam isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty when teaching.
Noah, another student, said, “He’s fun, I like planting stuff with him, and he guides me.”
Teaching the plant cycle, students watch as the seeds they planted sprout. Then, bringing their harvest into the kitchen.
“They take it into the kitchen and learn to cook with the things they grew,” said Mr. Adam. “And not only cook with them, but cook them in, into recipes that they’ll be able to enjoy.”
But he hopes his farm-to-table lessons reach beyond the garden.
“Kern County ranks above the California state average in a lot of things when it comes to food security, obesity, a lot of things like that,” says Montoya. “And I feel like a simple way to combat that is to just give the kids the tools they need and the knowledge they need to grow their own produce and be able to eat those things in a way that is enjoyable for them.”
According to CapK, Bakersfield is the “hungriest metropolitan area in the United States,” but 78% of adults in Kern County are overweight or obese.
In 2020, CapK found that 44.9% of 5th graders (10-years-old) in Kern County were overweight or obese — yet 22.8% of Kern’s children are food insecure.
Parents say they’ve seen the difference in their kids with Mr. Adam’s teachings.
Meagan Morrison, a sixth grade teacher at Buena Vista Elementary School and a parent, said,
“... How my son even right now, he’s wanting to garden and bring some of the things and concepts he’s learned and take it home and… grow it at the house and teach the family members about that as well.”
Mr. Adam has received enough votes to put him in the quarter-finals for “America's Favorite Teacher”– a competition held by Colossal that highlights hardworking teachers while raising funds towards The Planetary Society.
Now, he’s looking for the community’s support to put him into the semi-finals.
If he wins “America's Favorite Teacher,” Mr. Adam could receive $25,000, a feature in “Reader’s Digest,” a trip to Hawaii, and a virtual school assembly with Bill Nye the Science Guy.
Voting for semi-finalists ends on Thursday, April 17 at 7pm.
Visit this link to visit Mr. Adam’s page, where you can vote for him in the competition.
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