MALTA – When Sycamore High School senior Christian Thurwanger found out he had been elected president of the Sycamore Future Farmers of America, Kara Poynter was one of the first people he called with the news.

Thurwanger said Poynter, who encouraged him to run for FFA president, is more than just his agriculture education teacher and FFA adviser at Sycamore High School. She is a mentor and friend, which is why he was happy to recommend her for the DeKalb County Excellence in Education Award.

"We all need that one person to tell us we can be more than average," he said in his introduction.