Wyndmere teacher surprised with $50,000

WYNDMERE, N.D. (KVRR) – An ag teacher in Wyndmere, N.D., has been awarded on the national level and was given $50,000. Desi Severance was surprised at the school with the check from Harbor Freight through their ‘Tools for Schools’.

Severance thought it was going to be a normal school assembly, but that changed quickly.

“I said I want to get stuff done in my class today,” said Severance. “But I guess, just tell me how long it’s going to take. So I came into it with kind of a poor attitude. Then I watched my boss walk in and I go, ‘somethings up’.”

Severance, who has been a teacher for 14 years, educates students about agriculture and many other related topics in Wyndmere and the Southeast Career Technical Center.

The entire student population celebrated their beloved teacher who won the award, with some of the money being used to better their equipment in the classroom.

“They are the driving force behind everything I do,” said Severance. “My students drive my curriculum, the direction it goes, the new ideas we come up with. They are the reason we don’t stay stagnant. My students, they are ag education.”

Severance was also named the Ag Teacher of the Year in North Dakota.

Wyndmere is a small town, and for one of their own teachers to be beloved by the students and be awarded this money means a lot to them.

“I think the kids have the best ag teacher in the state,” said Scott Strenge, the 7-12 principal at Wyndmere. “She has sacrificed her time for our school, for our program. She just does a tremendous job reaching all of our students.”

$35,000 will go to Severance’s programs, while $15,000 goes to her personally. She plans to use the money to help upgrade welding equipment and ventilation systems.