IATA Awards
2024 Award Winners
Norco Inspirational Teacher of The Year: Lex Godfrey, Rigby
IATA/NAAE Awards
Outstanding Ag Education Teacher: Kelsey Williams, Meridian
Outstanding Early Career: Leah Stouder, Jerome
Outstanding Agricultural Program: Highland-Craigmont
Teacher Mentor:
Outstanding Cooperation:
Lifetime Achievement: Don Bird, West Jefferson
Outstanding Service: WNREA-Western National Rangeland Education Association
Outstanding Administration: Brady Clawson, Madison
Ideas Unlimited:
2023 Award Recipient:
1st Place-Cassidy Dutton, Teton
2nd Place-Kelsey Williams, Meridian
3rd Place-Renee Peugh, Meridian
Teacher Turn the Key: Carly Oman, Kimberly
Years of Service
New Teachers: Ayden Garcia, Cassidy Corrigan, Jamie Little, Brianna Leavitt, Elizabeth Bearden, Rachel Melad, Melinda Cross, Courtney Marshall, Shaylyn McGuire, Kelli Kinzer, Chandler Christiansen, Emilee Taylor, Sara Reisenauer, Samantha Reese.
1st Year Completer: Drew Carrell, Anthony Jefferies, Jordyn Bettencourt, Sarah Reisanauer, Kaelie Blakeway, Gary McKinney, Jennifer Ayers, Jamie Little.
5 Years: Mary Charley, Don Curry, Abigail Heikes, Janine Hodges, Denton Perkins, Justin Ruhl, Chase Shoemaker, Kylee Smith, David Wiegman
10 Years: Billie Jo Blackson, Tami Frank, Brandon Hoxie, Andrew Nelson, Renee Peugh, Stacie Reid, Julie Smith, Shane Wetzel
15 Years: Jaysa Fillmore, Rachel Rheuby, Trent VanLeuven
20 Years: Jesse Miller
25 Years: Janna Volkers, Mike Tesnohlidek
30 Years:
35 Years: Shawn Dygert
40 Years: Marc Beitia, Tom Woodland
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.
Membership Excellence Awards
NAAE Outstanding Agricultural Teacher Award
This NAAE Outstanding Agriculture Teacher Award celebrates the dedication of NAAE members who foster boundless classroom and limitless learning for their students. This award recognizes their role in shaping the future and honors their contributions to developing the next generation of citizens and agricultural leaders. Recipients are recognized for their program development innovation as well as their commitment to lifelong learning. Each applicant must have been a NAAE member the five (5) previous years or continuously since the applicant began teaching. The Outstanding Agriculture Teacher Award is sponsored by Tractor Supply Company.
NAAE Outstanding Early Career Teacher Award
At every age and every stage, we are entrusted with future leaders who will change the world. The NAAE Outstanding Early Career Teacher award recognizes beginning educators, fostering their growth, and celebrating their professional engagement. Early career NAAE members are the foundation of our organization, and this award looks to celebrate their accomplishments and support them throughout their careers. Each applicant must have been a NAAE member the three (3) previous years or continuously since the applicant began teaching.
NAAE Outstanding Middle/Secondary Agricultural Program Award
A goal of NAAE is to promote outstanding programs in agricultural education and effectively communicate success stories. The Outstanding Middle/Secondary School Ag Ed Program Award seeks to recognize agriculture programs at the middle and high school level that are creating boundless classrooms and providing limitless learning for their students. The award specifically highlights the achievements and growth of the program over the last five years (2020-2025).
IATA Outstanding Administrator Award
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.
NAAE Outstanding Post Secondary Agriculture Program Award
NAAE upholds a commitment to advancing agriculture and cultivating the next generation of agricultural educators. The Outstanding Postsecondary Agriculture Program Award honors postsecondary institutions, farm business management programs, full-time young farmer and adult agricultural education programs who are developing humble leaders energized by shaping the future of agriculture one student or adult at a time. This application should highlight the growth and successes of the program over the last five years (2020-2025).
NAAE Teacher Mentor Award
Bringing out the best in our students, requires us to bring out the best in ourselves. But we never have to do that alone. The NAAE Teacher Mentor awards embodies the profound impact of “Leading and Learning Together”. The motivation to an agriculture teachers career choices can be traced back to the influence of an exceptional mentor. Recognizing a pivotal role of a mentor, numerous state associations have established formal frameworks fostering positive relationships between experienced and beginning teachers as well as in-service teachers. This award program honors those NAAE members who have committed their time and expertise to supporting and celebrating other teachers in the profession. Even though much focus is given to beginning teacher mentoring, mentoring becomes a part of lifelong learning, and this award also highlights those teachers that dedicate their career to advancing our profession through mentoring on all levels including experienced teachers. The Teacher Mentor Award is sponsored by iCEV.
State Application: Outstanding Awards 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
National Programs
Influence, National Agriscience Teacher Ambassador Program, Teacher Turn the Key , XLR8, Virtual Book Club, NAAE Wise & Well Program information and applications are hosted by NAAE. No state application is required. NAAE Programs Link
Impact Awards
NAAE Outstanding Service Citation
The NAAE Outstanding Service Award recognizes experienced agricultural educators who have made significant contributions to agricultural education by supporting teachers and students on the local, state, region, and/or national level. These humble leaders have spent their careers energized by the responsibility of shaping the future one student at a time. Each applicant must have been a NAAE member the ten (10) previous years or continuously since the applicant began teaching. At the national level, NAAE members must at least be in their twentieth (20th) year of teaching agriculture at the time they apply to NAAE.
NAAE Lifetime Achiement
The NAAE Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes retired agricultural educators who have made significant contributions by providing visionary leadership, advocacy and service to our profession. These leaders have spent a career dedicated to students, our profession and growing our organization. Each applicant must currently be a retired member and have been an active or active life member in the last ten years. Individuals may receive the regional award only once; previous regional winners are not eligible to apply.
NAAE Visionary Impact Award
The NAAE Visionary Impact Award recognizes administrators, businesses, and organizations who have made significant contributions related to agricultural education that have led to the improvement, promotion, development, and progress of agricultural education. Applicants may receive the regional award only once; previous regional winners are not eligible to apply.
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 the following spring.
Honorary Awards
Honorary FFA Award applications and information is housed by the Idaho FFA Association and can be found by clicking here.