ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, VA (Rocktown Now) — The Rockingham County School Board named their Conservation Teacher of the Year at Monday’s meeting.

Pre-Kindergarten teacher at Lacey Spring Elementary School, Lauren Arbogast, was selected by the Shenandoah Valley Soil and Water Conservation District to receive the K through 5th grade edition of the annual award.

Education Coordinator Megan Trice told the Board that Arbogast goes above and beyond her classroom curriculum to add conservation, and many schools have adopted school-wide Ag-Day concepts Arbogast introduced to the county.

“She has her younger students buddy up with older students to talk about plants and how they grow. She has her students explore the outdoors, make predictions, draw conclusions,” Trice said.

In addition to her 14 years teaching students, Trice praised Arbogast for dedicating time outside the classroom to secure grants for outdoor education.