IATA Awards
2023 Award Winners
Norco Inspirational Teacher of The Year: Robert Hale, Rigby
IATA/NAAE Awards
Outstanding Ag Education Teacher: Sam Hoffman, Troy
Outstanding Early Career: Michelle Aoi, Jerome
Outstanding Agricultural Program: Troy
Teacher Mentor: Pat Dixon, Madison
Outstanding Cooperation:
Lifetime Achievement: Joe Blackstock, Kuna
Outstanding Service: Tom Clfton, Jerome
Outstanding Administration:
Ideas Unlimited:
2023 Award Recipient: Kelsie Williams, Meridian
1st Place-Matt Ross
2nd Place-Trent Van Leuven
3rd Place-Tom Woodland
Teacher Turn the Key: Mckenna Ford
Years of Service
New Teachers: Drew Carrell, Anthony Jefferies, Kaelie Brown, Gary McKinney
1st Year Completer: James Boggan, Josephine Booth, Jared Capell, Sophie Cowgill, Krysten Davis, Chandra Day, Loren Eells, Emma Hillie, Tessa Hubert, Johanna Hyink, Natasha Mohler, Brittany Spangler, Joyann Williams, Selena Davila, Allison Hassard.
5 Years: Jaqui Dodd-Duran, Kala Hernandez, Courtney Knickrehm, Brian Linquist, Kirt Martin, Taelynn Nelson, Kyle Nesbitt, Kellsie Peterson, Darryl Wadsworth
10 Years: Kya Vines
15 Years: Jason Bair, Melissa Oliver
20 Years:
25 Years: Lex Godfrey, Jason Tinall, Kevin Wells
30 Years: Larin Crossley, Nathan Low
35 Years: Rick Hance, Alan Heikkila, Val Johnson
40 Years:
NORCO Inspirational Award
To recognize who the IATA members deams as an inspirational teachers.
Application Process: The recipient is determined by ballot on the first IATA meeting of summer in-service/conference and the winner of that vote will be presented at the following years Summer in-service/conference.
Outstanding Teacher
This award recognizes those IATA members who are at the top of their profession--those who are conducting the highest quality agricultural education programs. The award recognizes leadership in civic, community, agriculture/agribusiness and professional activities. One IATA member will be selected at the state level and will be submitted to compete at the regional level. Individuals may receive the regional award award only once.
Outstanding Early Career
As a means of encouraging young teachers to remain in the profession and to encourage and recognize participation in professional activities, the NAAE Outstanding Early Career Teacher Award program is sponsored by John Deere as a special project of the National FFA Foundation. NAAE members who are in their third, fourth, fifth, sixth, or seventh year of teaching at the time they apply are eligible for this award. (When the awards are presented at the subsequent NAAE convention, the award recipients will be in their fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth year of teaching.) Individuals may receive the regional award only once; previous regional winners are not eligible to apply.
Outstanding Middle/Secondary Program
Agricultural education programs in middle schools and secondary schools are eligible to participate in the program. Previous regional winners may reapply for this award every five years if they choose.
Outstanding Administrator
The Idaho Agriculture Teachers Association created this award to honor those Administrators that go above and beyond in supporting Agriculutral Education at the local, state and national level. Please nominate your outstanding administrators for this award by filling out the IATA Outstading Application.
Agriscience Teacher of the Year
The Agriscience Teacher of the Year award recognizes teachers who have inspired and enlightened their students through engaging and interactive lessons in the science of agriculture.
NAAE Teacher Mentor Award
If you ask agriculture teachers what motivated them to enter and stay in the teaching profession, predominately they will attribute their decision to another agriculture teacher who encouraged them. Many state agricultural education associations have recognized the importance of positive relationships between beginning and experienced teachers by creating formal organizational structures to connect beginning and experienced teachers. This award program will provide additional incentives for experienced teachers to become mentors for beginning teachers, and it will provide beginning teachers a way to say thank you to the experienced teachers who have influenced them.
NAAE Teachers Turn the Key
Agricultural education is continually faced with a shortage of qualified teachers. Unless those who have been trained enter and remain in the profession for a period of several years, the shortage of qualified teachers will prevail. As a means of encouraging young teachers to remain in the profession and to encourage and recognize participation in professional activities, NAAE offers the Teachers Turn the Key Scholarship. Teachers in their second, third, or fourth year of teacher are eligible to apply for the Teachers Turn the Key Scholarship. Each state is allowed to forward two applications to the National level. Scholarships will fund the winner's trip to NAAE Convention and each recipient must agree to attend the whole Convention.
State Application: Outstanding Awards/Turn the Key Application , Teacher Mentor Application, Outstanding Administrator
DUE DATE: Emailed to the current IATA President, time stamped by March 1st.
The IATA Executive Board will select an IATA winner and the applicant will be notified by March 15th to fill out the NAAE application by May 15
Past NAAE Award Recipients (If you have data to add please email idahoagteachers@gmail.com
NAAE Outstanding Service Citation
Recognizes current and retired NAAE members who have made significant contributions to the agricultural education at the state, regional, and national levels.
NAAE Outstanding Post Secondary Agriculture Program Award
The Outstanding Postsecondary Agriculture Program Award recognizes exemplary postsecondary institutions and full-time young farmer and adult ag ed programs. Quailifying young farmer and/or adult ag ed program staff must devote at least 50 percent of their teaching time to this level of instruction. Previous regonal winners may reapply for this award every five years if they choose.
NAAE Lifetime Achiement
Recognize retired NAAE members who have made significant contributions to agricultural education at the state, regional, and national levels with Lifetime Achievement Award.
Application Process: Fill out the NAAE application and turn in to the IVATA President, it must be postmakred by March 1st. The IVATA executive board will select a winner and forward to Region I by May 15th
Ideas Unlimited
This award is designed to give NAAE members an opportunity to exchange teaching ideas. The idea may be original or borrowed. Each contestant should specify how the idea was used by the teacher and how the idea could help others in their teaching. All active NAAE members, who are teaching agricultural education are eligible to enter this competition. The member must be an NAAE member for three years prior to applying.
Application Process: Bring your Idea to Summer Inservice and present it during the Ideas Unlimited sharing event. Make sure to bring all supporting materials and hands on items. The presentations will be voted on by our members. The winner will fill out the NAAE application and be forwarded on to Region I the next spring and the Region I winner will be forwarded to the NAAE Convention the following November.
Honorary Awards
Honorary FFA Award applications and information is housed by the Idaho FFA Association and can be found by clicking here.