FREDDY PENKA NAMED OUTDOORS TOMORROW FOUNDATION’S EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR

OTF Presented Freddy Penka with the 2024 ‘Outdoor Adventures Educator Of The Year’ Award at Annual Benefit Concert in Dallas

Freddy Penka of Pinkston Middle School in Mountain Home, Arkansas has been named the 2024 Educator of the Year by Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation. Freddy was presented with this award at OTF’s Annual Benefit Concert featuring Randy Rogers on April 25, 2024 at Gilley’s in Dallas. 

Founded in 2010 in Dallas, OTF’s K-12 outdoor education curriculum now serves 1400+ schools in all 50 U.S. states and internationally with more than 140,000 students enrolled annually. OTF’s Outdoor Adventures curriculum can be taught as a P.E. course, local elective or with agricultural science and wildlife management in private and public schools. 

With the help of teachers like Freddy, Outdoor Adventures is able to provide a niche for students not involved in other extracurricular activities where they can learn both practical outdoor skills and an understanding of wildlife conservation.

Watch Freddy’s 2024 Educator Of The Year Video Here

“I am honored to be named the Outdoor Tomorrow Foundation’s 2024 Outdoor Adventure Educator of the Year. The legacy that I hope to leave with kids is that they value nature through outdoor activities and are able to find happiness and joy through them. I want to thank Arkansas Game and Fish, The Pinkston Middle School Administration and Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation for this award. Without their support this wouldn’t be possible,” said 2024 EOTY, Freddy Penka. 

Freddy has been an educator for 27 years and teaches Outdoor Adventures. Freddy first implemented Outdoor Adventures in the classroom in 2021 and since then has been passionate about helping students connect with nature and the outdoors. Freddy, along with the Arkansas Game And Fish Commission have worked to teach students how to protect, conserve and preserve various species of fish and wildlife in Arkansas. 

“We are so grateful for Freddy’s commitment to the program and are honored to award him as the 2024 Educator of the Year. Freddy’s Outdoor Adventures students are extremely fortunate to have a passionate and exceptional educator to bring the outdoors to life through our program,” said OTF’s Director of Education, Scot McClure.

Outdoor Adventures is a fun, interactive course where students are taught lifelong skills using an integrated, 40-unit curriculum comprising math, science, writing and critical thinking skills. The 400+ lessons cover lifelong skills including angler education, archery, hunter education, boater education, orienteering, survival skills, camping, outdoor cooking, challenge courses, backpacking, mountain bike camping, paddle sports, rock climbing, shooting sports, CPR/first aid and fauna, flora and wilderness medicine. OA teachers can pick units specific to their region and local ecosystems.

About Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation 

The Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation is a public nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization based in the Dallas, Texas area. OTF’s Outdoor Adventures K-12 curriculum may be taught in any public or private school, and is most often taught as a PE course. More than 22.5 million classroom hours of outdoor education have been taught since the program started. 

About Arkansas Game And Fish Commission 

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission plays an important role in keeping The Natural State true to its name. During the last 100 years, the agency has overseen the protection, conservation and preservation of various species of fish and wildlife in Arkansas. An essential part of ensuring healthy wildlife populations involves people. Agency programs geared toward the public generate awareness of ethical and sound management principles. Whether it be educational programs, fishing and hunting regulations or environmental awareness, working with people is just as important a factor in managing wildlife as any other.

Visit their website: agfc.com