 December 2000
NAAE Members:
While preparing to write this piece to you, I reviewed the last four issues of
NAAE News & Views. I expected to find a trend in the messages we have been conveying to you this past year. I found that trend. The key message of the year is "unity."
During the past couple of years, our profession has come together through the
Reinventing Agricultural Education for the Year 2020 (RAE 2020) project, led by the National Council for Agricultural Education. From this initiative, we have a renewed national vision for agricultural education in our nation. This is a vision of "a world where all people value and understand the vital role of agriculture, food, fiber and natural resources systems in advancing personal and global well-being." The four resulting goals include an abundant supply of highly qualified agriculture teachers, access to lifelong agricultural education instruction for all students, agricultural literacy for all students and partnerships to ensure a continuous presence of agricultural education.
These are worthy goals developed from the combined efforts of classroom ag teachers, state ag ed supervisors and coordinators, university ag ed faculty and representatives from many partners ranging from government agencies to commodity groups to broad educational entities. The new vision has resulted from many ag ed and non-ag ed groups coming together in one unified voice. As the unity of this voice increases, so will the intensity of the message increase.
One way for us to strengthen the unity within our profession is through the
Team Ag*Ed concept. I believe this is a good concept. But, can Team Ag*Ed be more than a "concept?" Can
Team Ag*Ed become a delivery system that will ensure the four goals from
RAE 2020 can, indeed, be accomplished? I believe it can. And, I believe the successful future of the ag ed profession depends on the numerous players within ag ed coming together as
Team Ag*Ed for the common good of the profession.
At the NAAE convention this year in the "City by the Bay," we will continue to explore ways that NAAE can "Chart the Future" for agricultural education. I expect solid decisions to come out of the deliberations from the convention. But, keep in mind, NAAE cannot move agricultural education forward alone. Advancing our profession must be a team effort and NAAE must be a valuable part of the team.
It has been an honor for me to serve our nation's agricultural education profession these past five years. I have always considered my role to be one of service. And, I am humbled that you, members of NAAE, have allowed me to be your servant. As my years of service draw to a close, I have confidence that the NAAE leaders who take the helm after me will continue to chart a course that will unify our profession. Only by standing together will we accomplish much for agricultural education.
Sincerely,
Mike Cox
1999-2000 NAAE President
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