Peyton Pugh, left, a science teacher at Rockcastle County Middle School, earned the National Educator of the Year award from the National Wild Turkey Federation. Photo courtesy Peyton Pugh
Peyton Pugh, who teaches science at Rockcastle County Middle School, has received the National Educator of the Year award from the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF).
“It means the world to me,” he said.
Pugh expressed his appreciation for the NWTF and how honored he feels to be recognized, as turkeys have played a huge part in who he is today as an individual and an educator.
The NWTF, founded in 1973, is an organization committed to the conservation of the wild turkey and the preservation of hunting heritage.
“I am so thrilled and so happy to win this award, and it means so much not only to me but also to my kids,” he said.
Pugh, who grew up in Leslie County, has always had a passion for the outdoors after being introduced to hunting and fishing by family members as a child. He said his love for the outdoors grew into a personal commitment to contributing to saving public land and protecting Kentucky’s natural resources.
“I think that Kentucky is a beautiful state, and we need to cherish and show our kids how beautiful and how lucky we are to live in this state which has so much public land,” he said.
Pugh has been teaching for only three years, and he said his passion for wildlife and conservation influences his role as a teacher as he finds ways to bring real-world examples of outdoor education into his classroom.
“Showing kids and teaching kids things that they will use for the rest of their lives is a big deal, especially in science,” he said.
Pugh stresses the value of teaching concepts that students can use in everyday life and how it may affect them by incorporating practical examples into lessons, such as understanding the digestive system or ecological food webs.
A big part of Pugh’s philosophy is to encourage his students to take advantage of the opportunity to learn.
“I would like them to know that I care about them and I care about their learning,” he said.
Pugh leads the hunting and fishing club at Rockcastle County, which typically brings in 90 students during their monthly club day, making it one of the largest clubs in the school.
Pugh has brought in experts, including a game warden and a regional biologist, to give students exposure to different wildlife careers and local opportunities.
“We live in a rural county; not all of these kids get to see or hear or go out of the county that much,” he said. “So, bringing in people to talk about things they do like and that they can do in this county: turkey hunt, deer hunt, squirrel hunt, any kind of hunting or fishing is a big deal for them, and they really enjoy it.”
Ayden Nolan, an 8th-grade student at Rockcastle County, said the hunting and fishing club is his favorite.
“I would definitely say hearing the personal experiences from Mr. Pugh, as well as the game warden, I would definitely say that it’s made me strive to do the same,” he said.
In the future, Pugh has plans to continue engaging students in wildlife and conservation efforts by leading activities funded by the award, such as planting food plots to support wildlife and leading a prescribed burn at Rockcastle River, which is a controlled fire that helps to reduce potentially hazardous conditions, control plant diseases and rejuvenate wildlife habitats.
Pugh is also starting an NWTF chapter in Somerset, aiming to focus on youth hunts and activities for disabled veterans.
Leave A Comment