FORT DEFIANCE — Blair Hoffman, an agriculture teacher at S. Gordon Stewart Middle School in Fort Defiance, got home at 2 a.m. Thursday morning from a flight back from Montana. Despite this, she still made an effort to be at school early that day for her students.
And it was a good thing she did — because at 8:15 that morning, colleagues, family and Community Foundation members surprised her with a Dawbarn Education Award.
The Dawbarn Education Award is given by the Community Foundation of Central Blue Ridge to 10 Augusta, Staunton and Waynesboro teachers every year. Created in 1992 by former senator H. Dunlop “Buz” Dawbarn, the awards give $100,000 away each year — $10,000 to each recipient.
“Teaching is not just a career, but a lifestyle for me,” Hoffman said. “I put my heart and soul into this program and try to be the kind of teacher I want my kids to have one day.”
Hoffman’s career as an agriculture educator started with a “lightbulb moment” in high school. The granddaughter of a Rockingham County agriculture teacher named Ed Long, Hoffman grew up surrounded by the subject.
“I knew I loved horses, I loved animals, I wanted to involve that in my career,” Hoffman said. “My ag teachers in high school were so impactful for me, so I think it was a pretty easy shoo-in. My family has a history of educators, so I knew that teaching was something that came naturally to me. Once I started the path, I think everything just fell into place.”
Hoffman, who also won “Teacher of the Year” in Augusta County in 2024, was nominated this year for the Dawbarn Award by multiple people, including principal Fonda Morris.
“Blair just goes above and beyond,” Morris said. “She’s someone who is just so dedicated to education. We have students who were not attending here [last year]; they were being homeschooled, and part of the reason they came back was because of Blair’s agriculture class. That says a lot.”
Morris said that agriculture class is an important part of Augusta County schools.
“This [agricultural] community is very strong in Fort Defiance,” Morris said. “They take great pride in their blue jackets.”
In addition to teaching classes, Hoffman is involved with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Future Farmers of America. She is a favorite among agriculture students at Stewart Middle, whom she often takes on field trips and teaches how to show animals at the Augusta County Fair.
“Mrs. Hoffman always makes a point to make sure all of us are having fun and really getting involved,” said eighth-grader Sadie Talley. “She’s just a person that has taught us so much. She got me started with a competition I love, livestock judging. She taught me a lot about how you evaluate animals.”
Lydia Shifflett, also in eighth grade, said that Hoffman has been like a “second mom” to her.
“She taught me a lot about letting it go when something doesn’t go right,” Shifflett said. “At the FFA field trip, not everything will go right. You’re going to be late for something, or someone will forget their official dress. She’s always like, ‘wear whatever you have, it’ll be fine.’”
According to Augusta County Public Schools superintendent Eric Bond, most teachers who have received awards in the county are like Hoffman — humble and focused on their students.
“Most employees and teachers are about the kids,” Bond said. “That type of mentality is what makes our people so special.”