Kelsey McMullen, agricultural science teacher at Stillwater Middle-High School, has been selected as a recipient of a 2026 CASE Implementation Grant from Corteva Agriscience, supporting enhanced curriculum and hands-on learning opportunities in agricultural education. The $5,000 award will support the implementation and expansion of CASE 4 Learning (Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education) programming at the school.
Administered by CASE 4 Learning and made possible through the generous support of Corteva Agriscience, the CASE Implementation Grants are designed to help middle school, high school, and pre-service teachers fund the equipment, course materials, and software needed to facilitate inquiry-based agricultural science instruction. Awarded funds are sent directly to schools to implement proposed classroom enhancements that foster student engagement and real-world learning.
“I greatly appreciate the support that Corteva Agricscience provides CASE-trained teachers,” said Ms. McMullen. “In addition to scholarships I’ve received from Farm Credit East and the CTE Technical Assistance Center of New York to cover the cost of CASE curriculum training in Plant Science in Fall River, Wisconsin, this summer, these funds will allow us to offer a new Plant Science course to our students in the 2026-27 school year.”
McMullen added, “This class, along with our current Introduction to Agriculture, Animal Science, and Natural Resources courses, provides Stillwater students with an opportunity to learn about—and be a part of—an industry that plays a key role in our community’s economy and environment.”
The award will support new lab equipment and supplies directly related to the CASE Plant Science curriculum and existing course offerings, benefiting nearly 200 students throughout the 2026-27 school year.
“Ms. McMullen’s hard work and dedication made this grant award possible,” said Jim Wager, Stillwater High School Principal. “This grant enables Stillwater High School to continue building a high-quality agricultural pathway for our students.”
Tim Hulihan, Principal of Stillwater Middle School, praised Ms. McMullen for her expertise in agricultural education and available grants, ensuring that current seventh graders can continue their studies next year.
“The grant will help us expand coursework into eighth grade, providing a streamlined curriculum throughout middle school,” he said. “Students will then have the opportunity to pursue this cohesive pathway in high school as part of the new graduation requirements.”
About CASE Implementation Grants:
CASE Implementation Grants are awarded to schools that have a CASE-certified teacher instructing at least one CASE course or to schools implementing CASE programming. Grants support tangible resources for facilitating the CASE curriculum that impacts student participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) aligned agricultural education. For more information about CASE 4 Learning, visit www.case4learning.org.