Mountainside Elementary’s Brittny Amott Receives the National Excellence in Teaching Agriculture Award

At Mountainside Elementary, the second-grade science curriculum blossoms in more ways than one, thanks to the innovative work of teacher Brittny Amott. With a focus on applied agriculture, her students don’t just learn about plant structures; they grow the plants themselves.

This summer, she was honored on two prestigious stages. First, she was named a recipient of the Utah Excellence in Teaching about Agriculture Award. Then, she took things to a whole new level, applying for and winning the national award! 

Her application featured creative, hands-on lessons, accompanied by photos, student work, and a written narrative that outlined how agriculture is integrated across her curriculum. The national panel was deeply impressed by her innovative approach to teaching elementary-school agriculture. In June, she flew to Washington, D.C., where she attended the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference and received the National Excellence in Teaching Agriculture Award.

For Amott, teaching agriculture is a natural extension of second-grade science standards.

 “Agriculture education helps students understand where their food comes from and connects directly to our science standards,” Amott said. “In second grade, we focus on the structures plants and animals need to survive—agriculture lessons make those ideas real and exciting.”

Her classroom is a vibrant hub of agricultural learning. Through grants from Pets in the Classroom and Utah Agriculture in the Classroom, she maintains an aquaponics system filled with colorful fish, rocks, and plants. Students study plant life cycles, camouflage, pollination, and environmental needs as they grow herbs, lettuce, and even tomatoes from seed.

Thanks to another grant from the Green Our Planet Foundation and the STEM Action Center, many classrooms at Mountainside Elementary now have their own hydroponic growing units. This year, students grew and sold herbs for a family night fundraiser, even transplanting them into pots they hand-painted in art class.

“These experiences do more than meet curriculum standards,” she explained. “They help students build real-world skills and develop a deeper appreciation for the natural world.”