R  E  G  I  O  N  A  L     U  P  D  A  T  E  S

Welcome to another school year, and welcome new officers and new teachers. It’s time for NAAE members to take an active role in mentoring our new teachers. I challenge all of you to welcome new teachers in your areas. Explain to them the benefits of membership in their state and national professional organization. The teacher shortage could be very detrimental to our profession, so let’s do what we can to retain our teachers!

I enjoyed visiting WY, CA, and AZ state conferences in 2001. Thanks to those states for making me feel welcome. I see that many of the states are feeling the same pressures, recently dealing with the teacher shortage issue, both at the secondary and university level, and state standards and high stakes testing. I believe that the NAAE communication link is a great opportunity to talk to others who are facing these problems.

Congratulations to the Region I awardees who will be recognized in New Orleans. They are: OYM–Steve Braun, ID; OT–Dennis Digenan, NV; OP–Galt High School, CA; PSAST–Merced College, CA; IU–Jolene Christensen, UT; HL–Nile Carlson, UT; OS–Fred Beckman, ID; and OC–Jeff Gullikson, WA. Congratulations also to all of the state winners.

Region I will be choosing new leadership in December. My term expires as the regional VP and I have committed to run for president elect. So, we will be electing a new alternate VP and a new VP.

I hope that many of you are planning on attending the NAAE conference in New Orleans. The board and the Louisiana Association have planned an excellent conference that will overlap the ACTE conference. The 2002 Region I conference will be held in Spokane in the last week of April. I look forward to seeing you in Louisville or New Orleans.

Sue Poland, (208) 257-3311 or spoland@mail.sd432.k12.id.us.

It is hard to believe that summer is almost over and another school year is upon us.  I hope that all of you had a great summer and are ready for a fabulous school year.

Our Region II conference was a tremendous success in Hot Springs, Arkansas.  I would like to thank Jerry Yates and the Arkansas Association for an unforgettable conference.  The door prizes were outstanding and the tours, meals, and fellowship were fantastic.  Again, thanks for everything.  My appreciation to NAAE President, Paul Jaure, for attending the conference and NAAE Alternate Vice President, Benny Bell, for his help.  We are all looking forward to the 2002 conference at New Braunfels, Texas.

It is that time of year to get started on membership.  I would like to encourage state leaders to make a special effort to increase membership in your state.

Also it is a great time to start preparing for our national convention in New Orleans.  We have a great hotel, the Monteleone, located in the French Quarter, and we anticipate a great convention.  I look forward to seeing all of you in New Orleans. 

Each of you are making a difference and the NAAE and I appreciate you.  Keep up the great work.  I hope that you and your students have a successful year and always feel free to call, write or e-mail if I can help any of you.

Larry Long, (580) 225-1222 or long@itlnet.net.

School’s started! It’s time to be back in the classroom. For most of us, the start of a new school year is a continuation of last year; however, let’s remember that it seems new to our students. We often hear how much work and time we as ag educators spend in our profession, but let’s remember to let our students know that this is one of the best jobs in the world. Where else can one get the opportunity to help children grow and fulfill the potential that they have? We need good ag teachers – remember to encourage your students to follow in your footsteps.

Congratulations to the whole South Dakota delegation for a super Region III conference. Well done! I would also like to thank the Wisconsin and North Dakota associations for their hospitality and the professionalism shown at each conference. Thank you!

Don’t forget to make your reservations for the NAAE convention in December. I believe that this conference will be very rewarding and professionally profitable for each of you. One of the presenters at this year’s conference will be Ted Mathews, Rural Mental Health Director at Ridgewater College in Willmar, MN. He will talk to us about stress that our families and we as educators may have and how to deal with it. Look for this workshop in New Orleans.

Many of you will be attending the national FFA convention. NAAE will have a booth in the Career Show. Please stop by the booth to meet and visit with the candidates for NAAE president elect (Sue Poland, ID; Russell Watson, TN; and Sarah Welty, MD).

Remember that I am elected to follow the wishes of the membership. Feel free to contact me and visit about issues in which you are interested.

Chuck Stranberg, (320) 693-3350 or chuck_stranberg@litchfield.k12.mn.us.

Take a deep breath. Smell that? That’s your newly polished floors, new textbooks, and new FFA jackets that signify the beginning of a new school year. Or, maybe it’s last year’s ag science experiment you forgot about. Either way – it’s back to the challenges of teaching some of the brightest minds in America. Not that we don’t teach all summer, but now we have a bell ringing every hour telling us to stop and do something different.

Congratulations and thank you to the Michigan Association for providing an outstanding Region IV Conference. Next year we will be on the Ohio River as Kentucky hosts the gathering in Owensboro from June 24-26. For any ag educator seeking a professional conference to attend with a family atmosphere, this is the one to choose!

The NAAE board held our meeting in New Orleans in July and served as the scouts for the upcoming national convention to be held there in December. We assure you that it will be a great conference!

Log on to www.naae.org and check out the new Region IV page. This page will be used for all updates and contacts that concern Region IV. While you’re at it, check out www.mlb.com - I think that you will find that the Cubs are still in first place!

Jeff Maierhofer, (815) 357-8761, ext. 115 or jeff@jmaierhofer.com.

Greetings from Region V. I hope that everyone is doing fine and getting into the new school year.

I want to thank Mike Buckley and the Florida Association for a job well done on hosting the Region V Leadership Conference. Also thanks goes to everyone who attended. Your input was valuable and well taken. We also want to thank NAAE President Elect Bryan Gause for attending.

I want to congratulate all the winners from Region V. We had a broad spectrum of winners representing Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. This goes to show that there are quality teachers and programs in every state. Congratulations to all of the state winners who submitted applications.

It was really good to see some old friends in my visits this past month. I was privileged to attend the summer conferences in North Carolina, Alabama and in Georgia. I could see quality education and professionalism going on in each of those states. Thank you for the great job all of you are doing and keep it up. It was also great to make new friends as I traveled. It is always great to see some former Region V Vice Presidents including Frank Trione, Bobby Joslin and Russell Watson.

Please make your plans to attend the NAAE national convention in New Orleans. Make your reservations to attend, December 12–15 at the Hotel Monteleone, by calling (800) 525-9595. I hope to see everyone there. If you need more information, be sure and check out the NAAE website.

Keep up the good work and I hope everyone has a great year.

Roger Teeple, (828) 686-3852 or rteeple@vistatech.net.

Where has the summer gone? It seems like it was just yesterday I was heading to Baltimore for the regional conference. Congratulations to Naomi Knight, Steen Westerberg and all the Maryland folks for hosting an outstanding regional conference. Everything ran smoothly and the weather was great for the day tours. Educational and professional opportunities were abundant and, once again, the attendance exceeded expectations with a new record of 92!

Congratulations are extended to our 2001 regional award winners for their outstanding accomplishments: IU–Paul Heasley (PA); OT–William West (WV); OP–Shirley Kaufman (VA); OYM–Amanda Stein Thomson (CT); PSAST–Gerald Reichard (PA); OC–Dennis Scanlon (PA); OSC–Carol Ann Gregg (PA); and HLM–Bill Thummel (MA). We look forward to congratulating you in person when you are recognized at the NAAE convention this December.

I was fortunate to be able to visit with members in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia this summer and was proud of the work you are doing on behalf of the NAAE, your state associations, and most importantly, your teachers. Thank you for making me feel welcome in your state organizations. A comment was made by a retiring gentleman in Pennsylvania that "becoming involved in the state and national professional organizations was the best thing I could have done for my career." I agree wholeheartedly. Professional membership adds to our success in the classroom. Take the time to encourage new memberships to YOUR organizations and all agricultural educators benefit. Congratulations to Region VI for showing an increase in membership this past year. Keep up the good work!

The NAAE convention will be held in New Orleans December 12-15. Please mark your calendars and plan on attending. Information is available on the website concerning time schedules and hotel accommodations.

Have a great start to the new school year and remember to include some professional involvement.

Sarah Osborn Welty, (240) 236-7200, ext. 67263 or sowelty@yahoo.com.