Position: Science Teacher
School: Pine Grove Elementary
School District: Hernando County School District
City, State: Brooksville, FL
Doug Poteet was nominated by his principal, Nancy Johnson
Mr. Poteet is a science teacher at Pine Grove Elementary School, but he is so much more than that. He teaches the Florida Science Standards to students in grades K-5. During the summer, when most teachers are trying to take a break, Mr. Poteet spends countless days working in the school gardens, making sure they are ready when the students return. He buys plants with his own money, so the students can care for them and bring them back to life. They then sell the plants at the Fall Festival as a fund raiser for the Science Club.
"I don’t think a week goes by when I don’t receive at least one video of a science activity he wants to share with our students when they return," Johnson said.
When school starts, so does the planting. Pine Grove Elementary School currently has 1100 stackers that are full of beautiful strawberries and about 900 stackers with many varieties of lettuces. He helps the first grade classes with their raised gardens, which are currently full of collard greens, kale, tomatoes, cabbages and lettuce. He teaches the children about healthy eating, and they love being able to pick a strawberry and pop it in their mouth. Mr. Poteet teaches students about saving the environment, and explains why they don't use pesticides or round-up in the gardens.
His teachings are catching on. Many teachers now have edible plants outside their classrooms. Banana, peach and pear trees are scattered around the campus. The school has two rows of grape vines that are always full of grapes when the students return to the campus in August. You can even find some large pineapples ready for picking.
To teach students about the solar system, Mr. Poteet has created a large pole in the courtyard with the sun painted around it. The pole will help the students watch the shadows move to tell time. The Science Club students are creating the planets on plywood to place around the sun so students get to see a model of the solar system every day. Blow up planets hang from his classroom ceiling, and even the kindergarten students can identify them and tell you something about them.
This year, Mr. Poteet surprised everyone with YouTube videos that he and his daughter created. They follow the Science Club students as they work around campus preparing, planting and harvesting the gardens. They are posted for all to see how important the gardens and the environment are. His plans for the future are to provide the cafeteria with fresh produce straight from the garden. Pine Grove Elementary School was the first school to have a certified “U-Pick” garden.
In his spare time, Mr. Poteet works with Auro Community Gardens. The purpose of this garden is to build and reconnect the local community back to its natural resources. They want to educate and encourage people to grow their own gardens, and create awareness for the needs of the community as a whole. The partnership has helped the school gardens grow, and has greatly benefited the students. This year, one of his former PGE students, who is now a high school senior, has done his senior class project at the gardens growing vegetables that he will harvest.
Mr. Poteet has also been working closely with the district's food and nutrition director to try and grow food for the school lunch program so students can make healthier eating choices.
"Doug is a very humble, but proud teacher that goes way above and beyond every single day, to benefit the school, district, co-workers, and most of all his students," Johnson said. "The students, parents and staff love and appreciate him. To see the children’s faces as they run up to talk with him, and to listen to the parents laughing and joking with him in the student pick-up line, shows just how special he is. He truly makes our school a better place."