NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATORS
Most careers in modern agriculture and related sciences require education beyond secondary school. Outstanding agriscience and agribusiness educational programs beyond the high school level of instruction are more important today than ever before.
The Outstanding Postsecondary/Adult Agricultural Education Program Award is sponsored by Syngenta.
| Region I No Recipient |
Region IV Spoon River College Jim Caudle and Jeff Bash Canton, Illinois |
| Region II Fort Scott Community College Ryan Edgecomb, Chad Cross and Brian Anderson Fort Scott, Kansas |
Region V Crescent County Young Farmers Crescent High School David Nixon and Chris Corzine Iva, South Carolina |
| Region III South Central Technical College Pete Neigebauer, Brad Schloesser, Don Hermanson, Bruce White and Bob Cramer N. Mankato, Minnesota |
Region VI Solanco Young Farmer Chapter Axel Linde, Dr. Arba Henry, Carey Kalupson, and Kelly Andrews Quarryville, Pennslyvania |
Region II
Fort Scott Community College
Ryan Edgecomb, Chad Cross and Brian Anderson
Fort Scott, Kansas
FSCC serves approximately 115 students from across Kansas. Students may earn an Associates of Science degree in Farm and Ranch Management or a certificate from the agribusiness program. Graduates of the program either enter the workforce or transfer to a four-year university to complete a bachelor’s degree.
The instructors at FSCC foster a caring community of learners preparing to assume responsibility in a diverse and technologically advancing society. For example, students in the soil science class are provided the opportunity to learn about Global Positioning Systems (GPS) as a hands-on learning experience. The class uses GPS in the field while recording certain waypoints or land areas.
FSCC has several extremely active student organizations. The college offers an intercollegiate livestock judging team, intercollegiate meat evaluation team, men and women’s rodeo teams and a local aggie club. The judging teams attend competitions across the national and have received many national awards.
Region III
South Central Technical College
Pete Neigebauer, Brad Schloesser, Don Hermanson, Bruce White and Bob Cramer
N. Mankato, Minnesota
The South Central Technical College (SCTC) Agribusiness Department serves approximately 100 students from across southern Minnesota. The teachers at this program are Pete Neigebauer, Brad Schloesser, Don Hermanson, Bruce White and Bob Cramer. Students may earn Diploma and Associate Degrees in Production Agriculture, Agriculture Sales and Service, Mechanics Services, Agribusiness Office Specialties and Chemical Applications.
The five instructors at SCTC focus on an aggressive hands-on learning approach to allow students to gain useful skills in gaining employment. Each student is required to complete an internship during his/her freshman or sophomore year with cooperating businesses, such as implement dealers, feed and supply stores or livestock facilities. The instructors also require students to job shadow with an industry salesperson and sell a product to community customers.
SCTC has an extremely active student organization in the Post Secondary Agriculture Student Organization (PAS). Student members have hosted the National PAS Conference, served as PAS national and state officers, assisted with FFA conferences and contests and raised funds for charities.
Region IV
Spoon River College
Jeff Bash and Jim Caudle
Canton, Illinois
The Agriculture Business Management and Agriculture Transfer Program at Spoon River College in Canton, Illinois, had 32 full-time students in the 2003-2004 academic year. Students play a major role in the college’s 55-acre land lab by developing plans, planting, spraying and harvesting crops each year.
The teachers at this program are Jim Caudle and Jeff Bash. They teach 12 classes each semester. In the last two years, Bash and Caudle have implemented a special topics class at Spoon River College to explore other options for possible classes. A Computers in Agriculture class was introduced to the curriculum in 2003 upon the recommendation of the advisory council. The instructors expect to add additional courses in natural resources and horticulture in the future.
The curriculum at Spoon River College has been designed for the most effective use of internships. Each student in Agriculture Business Management must complete two eight-week internships. The student, employer and college develop a working agreement with the student submitting a weekly report to the supervising instructor. Often times, the students are hired into the business where they complete their internships.
Region V
Cresent County Young Farmers, Cresent County High School
Chris Corzine and David Nixon
Iva, South Carolina
Chris Corzine and David Nixon serve as agriculture instructors at Crescent High School and help advise the Crescent Young Farmer Program and Agribusinessman Association in Iva, South Carolina. Over the past three years, membership for the program has increased by 20 percent each year.
"we give the members what they want," said Corzine. "In order for our program to be successful, we have to keep them interested and wanting to come back for more." To do this, the Crescent Young Farmer Program hosts 12 meetings each year. At the meeting in January, members develop the Program of Activities by creating topics for each meeting. Members also decide what type of activity they would like to complete at the meeting, such as welding or administering vaccines.
The Crescent Young Farmer Program is actively involved in providing educational services, including pesticide training and soil conservation techniques to the entire community. The Young Farmers have provided more than $8,000 to the Crescent FFA Chapter for scholarships and trips to National Convention and the Washington Leadership Conference. They also assisted the chapter in hosting an FFA pageant that raised more than $5,000 for the Crohn’s Colitis Foundation.
Region VI
Solanco Adult Farmer Program
Axel Linde, Arba Henry, Carey Kalupson and Kelly Andrews
Quarryville, Pennslyvania
Axel Linde guides and coordinates the Solanco Adult Farmer Program in Quarryville, Pennsylvania, which consists of 92 active members and was officially started in 1961. Community members join the program to learn current farming and marketing practices that will contribute to the maintenance, upgrading and advancement of the economic status of the Solanco community.
The Solanco Adult Farmer Program plants a three-acre field located on the property of Swift Middle School annually. The members decide what to plant with the intent of learning something new. Last year, members worked with the Penn State Crop and Soil Science Department and Extension Service to compare the new corn rootworm resistant variety with a soil-applied insecticide. When the crops were harvested, members examined and discussed the results at the fall meeting.
To provide the Solanco Adult Farmer members with more knowledge related to the agricultural industry, guest speakers are often invited to attend the annual meetings. Members have learned how to successfully market farm products, gained knowledge about farm finances and learned about pesticide safety and product use from many speakers.
