Youngstown Daily Legal News

Nationwide sponsors award program for ag teachers

BRANDON KLEIN
Special to the Legal News
Published: August 28, 2018

Nationwide has partnered with two Ohio agricultural organizations to establish a new award that recognizes educators in the state.

The agriculture educator of the year will be awarded the Golden Owl Award, receiving a $3,000 prize. The winner will be among 10 teachers from the state recognized as honorees, each receiving $500 prize and entering the final selection stage for the grand prize.

"We created this award to bring attention to the growing need for agricultural teachers in this country," said Brad Liggett, president of Agribusiness for Nationwide, in a statement. "Providing teachers with these additional resources will help develop their programs and provide their students with an optimal learning experience. Our goal is to spread this award to more states in the coming years to highlight all the talented agriculture teachers across the country."

There is a need for teachers in agriculture education because of growing demand. There were more than 12,600 teachers employed across more than 8,400 school-based agricultural education programs as of September, according to data from the National Association of Agricultural Educators.

Fourteen percent of the teachers were new hires, while there were 70-plus full-time vacancies, according to the report. But there were 740 people who completed license-eligble programs last year.

In a press release, Nationwide said the purpose of the award is to "shed light" on the agricultural education's significance in the nation.

Students, faculty and community members may nominate their agricultural instructors from the middle school to college level through Nov. 16 at www.GoldenOwlAward.com

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