Agriculture and natural resources instructor Mitch Coleman develops projects that challenge his students at Dayton High School in Dayton to apply their learning to real-life situations and develop skills they will use throughout their lives. Mr. Coleman's students have built a city park, developing plans, presenting them to the city, installing an irrigation system, and building and installing park equipment. They have also established and continue to operate a full-time nursery, and are currently developing a three mile-long nature trail, a process that entails planning, writing grants, removing non-native plants, building the trail and installing signs. As president of the Oregon Vocational Agricultural Teachers' Association, Mr. Coleman trains teachers on implementing the new national curriculum in environmental science.
1989 Oregon State University, B.A.
