4th, 5th, & 6th Grade Teacher, Feeding Futures Fellow
Montessori Academy for Peace
Sarah Pritts has been teaching for over 20 years from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade for Decatur Public Schools. She currently teaches upper elementary (grades 4, 5, and 6) at Montessori Academy for Peace, which is one of the largest public Montessori programs in the country. Sarah first became interested in Feeding Futures with Pilot Light during conversation with colleagues about opportunities to grow the agriculture program in their district. She is really looking forward to learning alongside her students and colleagues during her time as a Fellow.
Sarah has a degree in elementary education from Millikin University, a Master’s Degree in Teacher Leadership from the University of Illinois (Springfield), is Montessori certified, and is a National Board Certified Teacher (2023). When she is not in the classroom she enjoys traveling with family around the country for new adventures, especially to the National Parks. She is actively involved in STEAM in the Park, Expeditions in Education which provides professional development to teachers in the National Parks.
Favorite Food Education Standard: FES #5: Food impacts health.
All of these standards resonate with me, but the one that stands out to me the most at this point is food impacting health. This is such an important part of overall wellness and I look forward to working with my students so we can make healthier choices.
A Favorite Food Memory or Recipe:
I have many favorite food memories from trying new things with my family while traveling. Previously, I have enjoyed fresh blueberry ice cream while visiting Acadia National Park in Maine as well as recently having a unique dining experience of a chuckwagon dinner on the rim of Bryce Canyon in Utah. I often associate food experiences with other exciting life experiences!
What I’m Most Excited About as a Feeding Futures Fellow:
After moving to upper elementary last year, I realized many of my students at this age are responsible for preparing their own food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We have had casual conversations about nutrition and how that impacts overall wellness, but this program is going to give me great support and specific lessons in leading my students towards understanding all of the food education standards.
