Bryant wins top award for ag literacy
Jalena Bryant
Staff Report
Jalena Bryant, a first-grade teacher at Russell Springs Elementary School (RSES), has been named the winner of Kentucky Farm Bureau’s (KFB) 2025 Excellence in Ag Literacy Award.
She was nominated for the honor by Russell County Farm Bureau.
The annual award recognizes a Kentucky educator for outstanding efforts to incorporate agricultural concepts into classroom instruction and to help students better understand the importance of agriculture in their daily lives.
Bryant has taught for nine years and integrates agriculture into nearly every subject she teaches.
Her students learn through hands-on projects such as Raised Garden Beds, Farm Fun Fridays, Outdoor Farm Day and the Adopt a Cow program, where students track the growth of a calf through the Discover Dairy initiative.
Each activity ties directly to reading, science and social studies lessons, helping students make real-world connections to food, farming and the environment.
“Her dedication to her students shines every day in the classroom, and her passion for agriculture is embedded into her daily lessons effortlessly,” Stephanie Coffey, assistant principal at Russell Springs Elementary School, said. “Mrs. Jalena’s love of the outdoors creates real-life experiences each and every day at Russell Springs Elementary School. Her passion for agriculture is shared in her classroom that enhances students’ appreciation for our farmers and what they do for us and our community. Without a doubt, her students develop a better understanding of agriculture and how it impacts all of us.”
Kentucky Farm Bureau is the state’s largest general farm organization with more than 485,000 member families.
