Pugh Wins NWTF National Educator of the Year Award
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — In recognition of exceptional efforts in providing educational opportunities that incorporate conservation and wildlife for his students, Peyton Pugh received the National Wild Turkey Federation’s National Educator of the Year Award. Pugh accepted the award at the NWTF’s 50th annual Convention and Sport Show, sponsored by Mossy Oak.
“I am truly honored to be recognized by the National Wild Turkey Federation, but this award belongs to my students,” Pugh said. “In the classroom, our goal is to help kids become curious, critical thinkers who understand how what they learn will apply beyond school walls. Through science and real-world examples, students see how healthy habitats, wildlife populations and our hunting heritage are connected. When students realize that their choices and knowledge can positively impact the outdoors, it changes the way they learn and engage. Watching those connections click for students is the most rewarding part of teaching, and it’s why this recognition is so meaningful.”
Pugh is a science educator at Rockcastle Middle School in Kentucky. In the classroom, he uses real-world examples of conservation and wildlife management during lessons about natural ecosystems, biodiversity and human-environment interactions. His students analyze food web interactions and look at how hunting, overharvesting, habitat loss and pollution can affect these systems. This helps his students understand how wildlife management is an applied science that is necessary to keep populations healthy.
After school, Pugh spearheads the school’s hunting and fishing club where he brings guest speakers such as local game warden Braxton Cottongame, who spoke to the students about current hunting regulations in their area. Pugh also invited Merle Hacker, a regional biologist for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, to speak to students about catching and tagging wild turkeys for research, which inspired students and showed them what careers are possible in the realm of wildlife biology, conservation and natural resource management.
Pugh is also working closely with local game wardens to help his middle school students earn hunting education certifications so that they can start building the foundation of safe and responsible interactions with the landscape. He has impacted more than 150 students through his classroom lessons and his hunting and fishing club efforts. He has seen students become more interested and excited about environmental science topics, and many have gained a greater appreciation for wildlife management efforts taking place in the state.
Working with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, Pugh is now planning to get students involved at Rockcastle River Wildlife Management Area on a turkey research and habitat project that will benefit wild turkey populations. His middle school students will work alongside KDFW wildlife biologists and the NWTF to monitor and track wild turkey populations. The project will span six months, each having a different objective. In the first month, students will be introduced to wild turkey ecology, field observation techniques and safety procedures. During the second and third months, students will conduct field surveys to identify turkey populations, nesting areas and preferred habitat. In the fourth and fifth months of the project, students are planning to plant native fruit-bearing trees, create brush piles to improve wild turkey habitat, and continue field work. In the final month of the project, students will host a Turkey Conservation Day and share their findings with the community to help spread awareness of habitat preservation.
“Peyton is inspiring his students to get excited to get involved with the conservation of the wild turkey and the preservation of our nation’s hunting heritage in such an admirable way,” NWTF co-CEO Kurt Dyroff said. “My parents were both public school teachers, and I saw, firsthand, how important their roles were in encouraging and supporting their students. It means a great deal to me to have educators like Peyton supporting our mission and spreading our message with the next generation. We are proud to honor him with this year’s Educator of the Year Award.”
About the National Wild Turkey Federation
Since 1973, the National Wild Turkey Federation has invested over half a billion dollars into wildlife conservation and has positively impacted over 25 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. Since 2022, the NWTF has also invested over $2.3 million in critical wild turkey research that, when leveraged with partner contributions, has resulted in more than $22 million to guide the management of the wild turkey and to ensure sustainable populations. The organization continues to deliver its mission by working across boundaries on a landscape scale to deliver healthy forests and wildlife habitats, clean and abundant water, resilient communities and robust recreational opportunities. With the help of its dedicated members, partners and staff, the NWTF is committed to creating a nation united by the life-changing power of the outdoors.