Pierce School fourth-grade teacher Valerie Germain received the 2025 Educator of the Year Award from the Harris Center for Conservation Education at a ceremony on Sept. 19 in Bennington.
The annual award recognizes local educators who integrate outdoor learning and environmental education into their classrooms. Germain was honored for her long-standing work connecting Bennington students with the natural world, as well as her local conservation efforts. She has chaired Bennington’s Conservation Commission, organized community roadside cleanups, and helped build trails throughout the Bruce Edes Forest.
Naturalist Susie Spikol and ConVal Superintendent Dr. Ann Forrest commended Germain at the ceremony for her commitment to place-based education and community involvement. During the event, Germain shared an original poem titled “Sharing the Gift of Nature,” which concluded with the line: “Let us all take the mission to learn, protect, research, and explore, to all children and each other, to protect our Earth to its core.”