Jennings High School teacher awarded Louisiana Teacher of the Year

JENNINGS, La. (KPLC) - In Jeff Davis Parish, a Jennings High teacher has been recognized for his hard work.

Jennings High agriculture teacher Aaron Beaubouef is Louisiana High School Teacher of Year.

He received the honor after being voted as campus teacher of the year by the faculty and staff of Jennings.

“It’s humbling; there were a lot of people who I think were more excited about it than me, but it’s a tremendous honor and it’s a reflection of the work we do as Ag teachers and the value we bring to our campuses, and I’m really excited to represent my profession in that way,” said Beaubouef.

Beaubouef started teaching 17 years ago and spent his last six years at Jennings.

His strategy? Letting students work together on projects and compete to help each other grow.

“Each day, kids come in. There’s five different lessons being taught at one time, but I’m able to get kids who have competed in those events and have learned stuff before teach their peers, and that’s one of my favorite things to watch is when the kids come in, and they’re running their own practices and stuff,” said Beaubouef.

While teaching at Jennings, he also helped several students make it to the National FFA Agriscience Fair.

“When I first got here, Jennings High School had never won a state championship in FFA, and now, I think, we’ve won forty-something in the last six years. We won 11 in just this past year,” said Beaubouef.

Beaubouef said he wouldn’t have been able to achieve this milestone without the help from fellow teachers in the parish.

“A lot of late nights, a lot of late nights trying to make sure everything was just right, but I’ve got a really good support system here at the school board level.”

Beaubouef is the first teacher to win Teacher of the Year honors at Jennings High School.