ALT Today, the State Board of Education honored Todd Willis, a teacher at CES: Coldwater Elementary School in the Tate County School District, for being named the 2024 Mississippi Rural Teacher of the Year. The Program for Research and Evaluation for Public Schools (PREPS) established the Rural Teacher of the Year award in 2021. The award celebrates educators who show a passion for teaching, learning, and making a difference in smaller schools and communities. Willis has dedicated his career to education, focusing on innovative and hands-on learning experiences. He began teaching in 2011 as a substitute teacher and has had various roles, including his current position as a third-grade math, science, and garden educator. He has received numerous awards and recognitions for his work, including the Fulbright Scholar in 2019 for the U.S. Teacher Exchange Program in India, the Arkansas Department of Agriculture School Garden of the Year in 2021, and grants from the Mississippi Department o