Beth Schaefer Announces Wisconsin Educator Ambassador Team Expansion

New Ambassadors Advance Agricultural Literacy in Wisconsin Schools

• Bonnie Johnson
• September 05, 2025
• Media Article

Wisconsin Agriculture in the Classroom introduces the 2025–2026 Educator Ambassador Team, expanding teacher leadership in agricultural literacy through professional development, lesson planning, and statewide outreach to strengthen agricultural education.

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Wisconsin Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) has announced the 2025–2026 Educator Ambassador Team. This group of seven educators will play a key role in expanding agricultural literacy across the state by supporting teaching resources, professional development, and lesson innovation.
 

The program introduces three new members, each bringing unique skills and subject expertise:
 

• Sheila Kroseberg, Waupaca High School – She integrates farm-to-table education into her culinary arts program through labs and grant-funded agricultural connections.
   
• Kevin Podeweltz, Riverside Elementary School, D.C. Everest – He connects food, fiber, and fuel to social studies lessons, linking classroom content to community history.
   
• Brooke Wittrock, pre-service teacher at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls – As a 2025 AITC intern, she helped develop Read and STEAM lessons, offering creative ways to blend agriculture into core subjects.
   

Returning team members include Emily Kamps of Fennimore Elementary, Joshua Gonzalez of River Trail School for Agricultural Sciences in Milwaukee, Mary Cooper of St. Mary’s Catholic School in Richland Center, and Travis Sprague of Medford High School.
 

Team members were chosen for their dedication to AITC programs, their professional growth, and their passion for helping students explore agriculture across all subjects.
 

“Our Educator Ambassadors create a community of teachers advancing agricultural literacy,” said Beth Schaefer, Wisconsin AITC Coordinator. “We're excited to expand the program, incorporate more curriculum areas and provide teacher-led opportunities for sharing lessons and professional development.”
 

The team began training in August, creating a calendar of workshops, planning a new virtual professional development program, and reviewing new lesson resources. Throughout the 2025–2026 school year, they will lead workshops, share ideas in virtual sessions, and guide AITC programming through quarterly meetings.
 

Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s Agriculture in the Classroom program helps K–12 students understand agriculture’s importance. The program is coordinated by the Wisconsin Farm Bureau in cooperation with USDA, with support from the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation, other agricultural groups, and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
 

Photo by: wisagclassroom.org