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Kate Skirvin honored by students, staff Friday
ROACHDALE — Some North Putnam students might say that Kate Skirvin knows everything that is going on at school and in the community. However, she was more or less thrown for a loop Friday morning.
This is as family and students and staff from both North Putnam High School and North Putnam Middle School came together to honor her as the recipient of a national award for agriculture educators.
Skirvin was one of six who received the National Association of Agricultural Educators’ Outstanding Agricultural Education Teacher award last December. She represented the NAAE’s Region IV, which encompasses programs in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio.
Before her national honor, Skirvin was bestowed the Indiana Association of Agriculture Educators’ own Outstanding Agriculture Educator award.
The convocation was highlighted by remarks from North Putnam FFA Chapter President Gabbi Simonson, FFA State President Seth Ariens and Supt. Nicole Allee. State Rep. Beau Baird (R-Greencastle) and State Sen. John Crane (R-Avon) were also in attendance, along with the chapter’s other officers.
Beforehand, North Putnam High School Principal Jason Chew first asked the students to recognize the impacts all of their teachers have. He advocated that they all deserve programs like Skirvin has helped build.
“Each of your teachers have chosen a profession in an attempt to improve the community, and more specifically you, the student,” Chew said as he asked each of them present to stand. “Your hard work and dedication to our students and community is deeply appreciated.”
Simonson related that she and the officer team would describe Skirvin as the following: Compassionate, empathetic, thoughtful, passionate, courageous, faithful and empowering. These, she provided, are a start to encapsulating how Skirvin inspires her students.
“Throughout our time as both a teacher and an adviser, Mrs. Skirvin has had a huge impact on every student and every FFA member who has been a part of her life,” Simonson said.
Referring to her as “Skirv,” as he said this is how he has always known her, Ariens related how Skirvin welcomed him into the community as a non-Putnam County native. He concurred with the descriptors from the current officer team.
“Any officer team that I’ve been on under Skirv would say the same, and would say more,” Ariens said in his brief statement. “There’s nobody who’s more deserving of an award that I can think of.”
Allee has known Skirvin since they were in junior high and involved in FFA together. With her being as driven then about teamwork, Allee noted Skirvin’s sense of humor and her character as what drives her impact.
“You’ve got a wonderful, passionate educator sitting behind me, who has always been there for her teammates, and has always been that person you could turn to,” Allee said.
For his part, Crane suggested how Skirvin’s award shows potential in Indiana as “flyover country,” as he characterized it. He suggested as such that the award, as a national recognition, puts a spotlight on local educators.
“I just want to extend my personal congratulations to you,” Crane said. “I know this is the culmination of a lot of hard work, a lot of investment and servant leadership in the lives of students over the years.”
With Crane standing alongside, Baird then read Indiana House Concurrent Resolution 20, which recognizes Skirvin being bestowed the national award. Introduced by Baird and then sponsored by Crane, it passed the Indiana Senate on Thursday.
Skirvin teaches advanced animal science and food science, as well as plant and soil science, alongside “work spouses” Janna Oxford and Drake Davis. Echoing the award not being just hers, she expressed how her students can advocate for agriculture as most meaningful for her as an educator.
“I love my kids, I love what I do, and all I ask is that when you leave these halls, you go and you tell the true story of agriculture,” Skirvin said. “Share the positive works that agriculture has done for you.”