The Agriculture Ambassador Team utilizes top-agricultural literacy educators to provide training and advise on the resources, trainings and experiences offered by the Wisconsin Agriculture in the Classroom program.

During the 2024-2025 school year, the Educator Ambassador Team will present workshops, share lesson ideas and experiences and meet quarterly to review and guide current and future AITC programming and resources.

Meet the 2024 Team!

Emily Kamps

Fennimore Elementary School

Hi! I am a fourth-year teacher at Fennimore Elementary School, where I teach third grade after two years in fourth grade. I love agriculture! I enjoy teaching with agricultural concepts to engage my students in my classroom. I teach agricultural themed summer school classes as well, including an agriculture careers course where students meet and tour agricultural businesses in our community. My students have participated (and even won!) the Wisconsin AITC Essay Contest. I was honored to have been named the 2023 Outstanding Teacher by Wisconsin Agriculture in the Classroom. Outside of school, I help out on Lazy M Farm, which my parents own. My husband, Ryan, and our children help as well. I am a member of the Fennimore FFA Alumni and Grant County Farm Bureau. In my free time I enjoy family activities, attend tractor pulls, and visits to cattle shows- especially World Dairy Expo each fall in Madison, Wisconsin.

Josh Gonzalez

River Trail School for Agricultural Sciences – Milwaukee

I am a second-grade teacher at River Trail School of Agricultural Science in Milwaukee Public Schools. I teach all subjects. At my school, the second grade is responsible for utilizing our hydroponics towers. This is my 19th school year teaching. I am also my school’s Agriculture Committee Chairman. In addition to all my other duties, I also serve as the webmaster for our school’s website. I grew up in Milwaukee and love having the opportunity to teach students from the neighborhoods I grew up in. Many of my students have no experience with agriculture education, and it is fun showing them how to eat healthy and be more self-sufficient. I am an avid world traveler and have been to five continents. I have jumped out of planes, swam with sharks, hiked up mountains, and played college football. I love going to church and am happily married with three children.

Mary Cooper

St. Mary's Catholic School – Richland Center

Hello! I am currently in my 18th year teaching at St. Mary School in RIchland Center, WIsconsin. I started as a 5th grade teacher and have since moved to the 7th grade as the homeroom teacher, and middle school science teacher. My course load consists of life, earth, and physical science, literature, geography, and religion. I am also an advisor for the student council and the SeaPerch underwater robotics program. I grew up on a farm in Dodge County and went to school in the Mayville School District. I had a strong FFA advisor and was very involved in FFA while in school. I continued to pursue my love of agriculture at UW-River Falls, and worked in the dairy industry for many years prior to my current teaching position. As a Notre Dame Senior Trustey STEM Fellow, I have been able to work with some amazing people in various content areas that have helped me introduce STEM education into our school. My affiliation with Wisconsin Ag in the Classroom personnel and their resources over the years, has also helped me introduce my love of agriculture with my students and staff members through various literary activities. I have been married for 32 years to my husband, Jerry, and we have 2 adult children. During my free time, I like to go foraging for edible foods in my woods, craft, hang with my family, and read. I love watching Big Ten volleyball and Packer football, and I like to can and process fresh foods for later use with my family.

Travis Sprague

Sun Prairie West High School and Prairie View Middle School

Hello, my name is Travis Sprague and I am an Agriculture Teacher/FFA Advisor in the Sun Prairie School District teaching at Sun Prairie West High School and Prairie View Middle School. I have been teaching for 6 years and currently teach grades 6-12. Courses that I currently teach are the following: Companion Animal Science, Natural Resources: Wildlife Management, Food Science, Plants, Animals, and Food, The Wonders of Plants, Animals, and Foods, and Exploring Animals, Plants, Food, and Natural Resources. I am originally from Wittenberg, WI, and graduated from Bowler High School. I obtained my Bachelor's of Science from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. During my free time you can catch me playing volleyball (competitively), working out, and walking my Goldendoodle named Arlo. I also love to travel, hike, and do anything outdoors. I am a huge Wisconsin Badger, Dallas Cowboys, and Nashville Predators fan.

To be considered for the WAITC Educator Ambassador Team, a teacher must:

• Hold a current WI teaching license.
• Have participated in at least one WAITC professional development opportunity (any workshop, teacher tour, webinar, led by WAITC, or past Outstanding Teacher of the Year)
• Be a current classroom teacher.
• Plan to teach during the 2024-2025 school year.

Application Process

Applications for the 2025-2026 Educator Ambassador Team, as well as expectations, key dates and important program updates will be available in early January 2025.

Please reach out to Beth Schaefer, or call 608-577-6845, with any questions.