Christine Kane of Dixon Elementary School, center, is the 2025 NMAITC Teacher of the Year. Courtesy/NMAITC
NMAITC News:
DIXON — New Mexico Agriculture in the Classroom (NMAITC) announces Christine Kane of Dixon Elementary School as the 2025 NMAITC Teacher of the Year. The annual award honors a K-12 educator who is not an agriculture teacher by trade but who meaningfully integrates agricultural literacy across the curriculum.
Kane serves the rural community of Dixon in northeast Rio Arriba County, where she teaches K-6 special education, works as the school’s speech-language pathologist, and drives the school bus. With 26 years in education, 12 of them at Dixon Elementary, she exemplifies the dedication and versatility of rural educators.
NMAITC began partnering with Kane two years ago after she received a New Mexico Grow Grant through the Natural Resources Conservation Service. With a raised bed and hydroponic system, her students began growing food year-round. A follow-up composting grant expanded the project and deepened students’ understanding of sustainability.
A simple student idea, “Let’s make the front of our school look better”, evolved into a hands-on, interdisciplinary agricultural project. Under Kane’s leadership, students formed committees, conducted surveys, and integrated agriculture across subjects:
- ELA: Writing letters requesting donations; and
- Math: Calculating perimeter, area, and volume for garden beds.
The community rallied with donations of tools, soil, and supplies. Students of all ages contributed; older students designed and built budgets, younger students counted rocks, and everyone helped construct the garden.
Kane later launched a summer garden club, where students watered, weeded, measured, and planned how to use their harvests.
When community members began asking to buy vegetables, students created a Summer Garden Farm Stand, selling basil, spinach, and watermelon drinks while gaining real-world experience in entrepreneurship. Today, the garden is a year-round learning hub: students make herb-infused sea salt, prepare fresh produce for snacks, and contribute ingredients for school events, including the sauce for Dixon Elementary School’s first-ever spaghetti dinner and salsa for Taco Tuesdays.
Reflecting on her teaching philosophy, Kane shared:
“I believe that when given the right experiences, all kids want to learn. When learning engages both their bodies and minds, that’s when the real magic happens. Agriculture connects to every subject and helps my students become better citizens and community members.”
NMAITC proudly honors Christine Kane for her outstanding commitment to agricultural literacy and the meaningful impact she has made on her students and community.