Ag Educator Wins Maryland Agriculture Teacher Of The Year

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — North Harford High School agriculture teacher and Envirothon advisor Laura O’Leary has been named the Agriculture Teacher of the Year by the Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts in recognition of her leadership in agricultural and environmental education.

O’Leary will be starting her 37th year of teaching and relies on the school's rural campus and working farm to bring her classroom learning to life. That commitment to hands-on learning and community partnership "has made a lasting impact on students and the broader Harford County region," the school district stated.

As advisor to North Harford’s Envirothon team, O’Leary most recently guided students to a second place finish at the 2025 NCF-Envirothon international competition in Calgary, missing first place by just one point—and capturing the Aquatic Ecology station award and a $10,000 scholarship. The team placed third globally in 2024 under her direction. Locally, her students won the Maryland state Envirothon title for a third straight year in 2025.

Former principal Bryan Pawlicki nominated O’Leary for the award and praised her for "creating
immersive learning experiences and fostering deep environmental stewardship in her students."