 - Baldwin Creek Elementary School Teacher Neil Long was recognized during this week’s Lander School Board meeting for being named the 2025 Wyoming Agriculture in the Classroom (WAIC) Educator of the Year.){kind=link}
(Lander, WY) – Baldwin Creek Elementary School Teacher Neil Long was recognized during this week’s Lander School Board meeting for being named the 2025 Wyoming Agriculture in the Classroom (WAIC) Educator of the Year.
“Neil has gone above and beyond in bringing stewardship to life for all of his students,” WAIC Director of Education Dallas Myers said as he presented the award on Tuesday. “His creativity, passion, and commitment ensure that students not only learn about Wyoming’s heritage industries – outdoor recreation, tourism, hospitality, natural resources, and agriculture – but he also sees his role in shaping the future of our state for our students.”
Along with the award, Long received a $2,500 check from WAIC this week “in recognition of his outstanding dedication and impact,” Myers said, inviting the school board to “join me in congratulating Neil Long as an educator who truly makes a difference for students.”
In a recent newsletter, WAIC said Long was selected “due to his exceptional work teaching fifth-grade writing and science” at Baldwin Creek.
“He has introduced and integrated Wyo Wonders into the school’s writing curriculum, enhancing student comprehension through interdisciplinary learning,” the newsletter states. “Mr. Long connects science and social studies with writing, (and) his curriculum aligns with Lander’s identity as an outdoor recreation hub, helping students understand their local economy and promoting community engagement. …
“Mr. Long’s passion, enthusiasm, and commitment empower students to take ownership of their learning, making him a standout educator who benefits both his students and the broader community.”
In the newsletter, Long said he brought the Wyo Wonders curriculum into his classroom after completing a virtual professional development program with WAIC in his first year of teaching and hearing several educators recommend it.
“When I started at Baldwin Creek as a writing teacher, we were looking for ways to connect our writing standards to science and social studies content, and the Outdoor Recreation unit seemed like a great fit,” he said.
Since then, he said many of his students have connected personally with the Wyo Wonders content.
“By teaching standards using content that kids are familiar with, I get a lot more student engagement, especially from kids who might not be as psyched on school,” he said. “Students in Lander have lots of experience with federal public lands, so they already understand the importance of sustainable care, use, and development of these resources. My role is just to explain how these systems work using examples that kids can connect with.”