Teachers around the country are sharing the word about agriculture and agricultural education. More than 70 agricultural education teachers are sharing the message of agriculture as part of the National Teacher Ambassadors for FFA program.
The program began in 2016 and provides teachers with the tools to share information about FFA and agricultural education with their communities. Teachers selected for the program receive intensive training in June and July to learn and collaborate on educational resources. Similar to last year, this year’s training will be virtual.
Throughout the year, the ambassadors will present workshops and work with teachers nationwide to brainstorm and share ideas. The ambassadors will also serve as a voice of the organization to teachers. They will, in turn, provide feedback from those in the educational field to the National FFA Organization. Eleven ambassadors have also been selected to serve as mentor ambassadors — providing support to others and feedback to the organization throughout the year.
“Through this program, we equip teachers with the tools they need to be successful in not only developing future leaders but also in telling their stories,” said Sarah Dickinson, senior educational consultant for the program and events division at National FFA. “Our ambassadors play a key role in communications for us. They share information in the field, and they let us know what challenges they face every day.”
Those selected to serve as teacher ambassadors include:
- Alabama: Allison Heald, Allison Kincer and Ryan McNaughton
- California: Jacob Marek of Arkansas; Jason Ferreira and Carla Parlato-Butler
- Florida: Stacy Young and Shelby Ball
- Georgia: Nancy Sell and April Davis
- Illinois: Cassie Perrin
- Indiana: Laura Crosby and Cameron Frazier
- Iowa: Melanie Bloom
- Kansas: Laura Miller
- Kentucky: Brittany Elliott, Jacob Ball, Jourdan Palmeri, and Magen Woods
- Louisiana: Corey Alleman, Alyssa Stelly, and Kalyn Yount
- Michigan: Leasa Guddera of Maryland; Jennifer Woods and Victoria Yackle
- Mississippi: Catherina Avent and Millie McKinney
- Missouri: Tim Davis
- New Hampshire: Carrie Hough
- New Jersey: Robin McLean and Deanna Miller
- New Mexico: Carrie Hough
- New York: Tanya Nickerson
- North Carolina: Brooke Clapp, Keonte Edmonds, and Heather Smith
- North Dakota: Bailey Hawbaker and Callahan Anderes Lemar
- Ohio: Katie Black and Stephanie Jolliff, Lori Romie and Jeremy Ryan
- Oregon: Madison Hynes
- Pennsylvania: Melanie Berndtson
- Puerto Rico: Kenneth Barbosa
- South Carolina: Audrey Cathcart and Libby Templeton
- Tennessee: Shana Boteler, Jessica Brown, Kyle Gehring, and Jessica Ross
- Texas: Leigh Ann Freeman, Cheryl Handy, Ashlee Lawson and Shannon Mulkey
- Utah: Kayla Plewe
- Virginia: Kaila Anglin, Emily Bucklew, Mackenah Roberts, and Melissa Sease
- West Virginia: Julie Sions and Allyson Lewis
- Wisconsin: Jennifer Russell
Those selected to serve as regionally based mentor ambassadors include:
- Jeff McKinney, Alabama
- Aleah Shook, Arizona
- Katie Cooper, Idaho
- Bridget Mahoney, Iowa
- Kim Clark, Kansas
- Kristan Wright, Kentucky
- James Pierce, Montana
- Tiffany Morey, New Jersey
- Charlotte Main and Kasey Naylor, Texas
- Emma Huber., Wisconsin.
