Senate Resolution No. 777

BY: Senator OBERACKER

COMMENDING Megan and Clayton Kappauf upon the
occasion of being named the 2023 Teachers of the
Year by New York Agriculture in the Classroom

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to acknowledge the
significant accomplishments in the distinguished careers of those
outstanding educational leaders, whose dedication and achievements have
been instrumental in developing character and academic excellence in the
young people of New York State; and

WHEREAS, New York State's commitment to education is unparalleled;
its history and stature are secured by the superlative caliber of its
educational professionals and the students they inspire; and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to commend Megan and
Clayton Kappauf upon the occasion of being named the 2023 Teachers of
the Year by New York Agriculture in the Classroom; and

WHEREAS, Each year, New York Agriculture in the Classroom recognizes
an exceptional teacher, or teachers, who embody a passion for teaching
through a lens of agriculture in their curriculum; and

WHEREAS, Megan and Clayton Kappauf will be representing New York
Agriculture in the Classroom as model educators who incorporate
agriculture as a context for learning in their pre-kindergarten and
STEAM classrooms in Oxford, New York; and

WHEREAS, Educators at Oxford Primary School, the Kappaufs have
created a unique classroom environment where students are actively
engaged in authentic and hands-on learning through integrating food and
agriculture; and

WHEREAS, With a steadfast and unwavering commitment to captivating
their students, Megan and Clayton Kappauf have three aeroponic tower
gardens which serve as a tool for a real-world approach to reinforce
core academic content in math, science, English, social studies, and
art; and

WHEREAS, During the school year, Clayton's third grade students help
Megan's kindergarten students germinate the seeds for their tower
garden, and the third grade students monitor and maintain the tower
gardens; by late fall the tower gardens begin to produce crops ready for
harvest, including a bounty of basil; and

WHEREAS, Using the students' curiosity about basil as a teachable
moment, the class learned how to make their own mozzarella cheese and
were able to make a student-made snack of caprese salad; and

WHEREAS, The tower gardens were a gateway to several collaborative
and cross-curricular projects; as plants began to flower the need for
pollination arose; students learned about the role the bees and insects
play in pollination and then learned how to pollinate their plants on
the tower garden; and


WHEREAS, Furthermore, motivated by the ability to grow their own
food, under the able leadership of Megan and Clayton Kappauf, students
designed and built their own greenhouse; they also grew flowers to cheer
up their campus, as well as peas and lettuce that could be eaten during
the summer reading and math program; and

WHEREAS, The future success of our State and Nation is dependent
upon individuals such as Megan and Clayton Kappauf, who dedicate their
lives as educators, nurturing our most precious resource, our youth; and

WHEREAS, Educators like Megan and Clayton Kappauf provide a
tremendous service to the future of our State and Nation, inspiring
generations of young people in their educational journeys and ensuring
their success in their future years; and

WHEREAS, Significant contributors to education in New York State,
Megan and Clayton Kappauf clearly have an enduring impact on the youth
of Oxford Primary School, as well as on the community-at-large, and
accordingly merit recognition and applause for their impressive
dedication to others; and

WHEREAS, Throughout their careers thus far, Megan and Clayton
Kappauf have brought an uncompromising standard of excellence to their
work and a warm sense of caring and concern to every young person they
educate; and

WHEREAS, It is the practice of this Legislative Body to commend the
efforts of those individuals who work to support our proud tradition of
public education by providing their skills and talents to our schools;
now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend Megan and Clayton Kappauf upon the occasion of being named the
2023 Teachers of the Year by New York Agriculture in the Classroom, and
to wish them continued success in all their future endeavors; and be it
further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Megan and Clayton Kappauf.