Developing a State or University-Level Teach Ag Ambassador Program

timeline January-April: Application is live on SurveyGizmo April 12: Application closes End of April: Interviews and selection May 17: Official Teach Ag Ambassador announcement SurveyGizmo is used for user accessibility and to ease application review. Application is left open for four months to make sure all of our partner groups are reached (i.e. MANRRS Conference, etc.)

Selection process The National Teach Ag Ambassador program is open to college sophomores through graduate students. At the university/state level, this may be different because of your program goals and how you want it to be organized. National Teach Ag Ambassadors serve for one year. At the state/university level, can they serve more than one year? What is your goal for your ambassador group? Are there different levels? Officers? Does this replace an Ag Ed Club, or is this an entirely different program/project?

Monthly training webinars May: Introductory Meeting Webinar National Teach Ag Campaign staff introductions Overview of the Ambassador Program Code of Conduct/Expectations Background of the National Teach Ag Campaign Sponsors Mission National Teach Ag Day Engagement opportunities Host site information   National FFA Convention Dates Expectations and Responsibilities Schedule/travel information Workshop/Presentation Opportunities after National FFA Convention Stipends Student vs. Stakeholder presentations Potential Podcast Opportunities Quarterly Cohort emails to engage with potential future ag teachers STAR state overview Due Dates Make sure ambassadors know who the leaders of the program are, so they have contacts for questions, concerns, etc. The signed Code of Conduct is critical. It sets the rules and expectations for the program. The brand and reputation of the Teach Ag Campaign should be represented and promoted properly. Are there state-level sponsors who need to be thanked? Is the ambassador program part of the STAR program projects and initiatives? What events are your ambassadors expected to attend? How will the ambassadors engage with future and current ag teachers and stakeholders both at events and afterwards?

Monthly training webinars July: One-hour Training Webinar National Teach Ag Campaign Sponsors Supply/Demand Statistics Cause/Effect Importance of agricultural education National Teach Ag Campaign Initiatives to address the national demand for agriculture teachers Universal Promising Practices   Sponsors are critical – they need to be thanked and engaged in the program. Supply and Demand data points are important and need to be clearly expressed Ambassadors should understand the goals and mission of their ambassador program as well as the National Teach Ag Campaign and have a clear direction for promoting agricultural education.

Monthly training webinars August: One-hour Training Webinar National Teach Ag Campaign website resources Supply and demand profiles STAR program resources National Teach Day resources Advisory board information A Day in the Life of an Ag Teacher blog on Communities of Practice Promotional Items/Merchandise Information Teach Ag Kits Branding Center Handouts and posters Ambassador team Facebook page   Is there a state association or additional webpage to go to for resources? Resources should reflect the mission and goals of the program.

Monthly training webinars September: One-hour Training Webinar Share the Top 10 Reasons to Teach Ag! Share and discuss ideas How to Spread the Teach Ag Message Presentation Target Groups Get Tagged to Teach Ag (Students) National Teach Ag Campaign (Stakeholders) Presentation Tips and Resources  Good vs. Bad photos Communicating the Teach Ag Message beyond presentations Blogs Emails Social media   Who do you want your ambassadors to present to? What are your target audience group(s)? What are your communication avenues beyond workshops/presentations to continue engagement?

Monthly training webinars October: Three-hour Training Face-to-Face Ice Breaker/Team Building Introduction activities Who Am I? Inclusion/Diversity/Equity Review from previous webinars National Teach Ag Day NAAE Student Membership Benefits Event logistics   Inclusion, diversity and equity are huge components of the National FFA Organization and National Association of Agricultural Educators right now. The ambassadors should complete some form of training or exercise to help them understand the importance of creating and maintaining inclusive environments for each other and students, as well as incorporating diversity and equity practices in their daily lives. Quick review of all previous information covered (if previous trainings occurred) Ambassadors should have a clear understanding of the program’s rules, guidelines, and expectations.

Program tips and ideas Teach Ag Workshops at National FFA Convention. State-level workshops Compensated for up to four workshops at $50/workshop To receive the stipend, the ambassadors must turn in their lesson plan and/or workshop outline one week prior to the event for approval. Once they have their presentation approved, they will present and turn in their presentation summary report as well as AT LEAST two high-quality photos from the presentation/workshop.     Stipends are to help cover workshop costs (mileage, supplies, etc.) Ambassadors need training in effective presentation skills (use teacher voice, proper posture, hand motions, etc.) Help ambassadors find opportunities to present and engage with potential future teachers (state convention, university events, etc.)

Program tips and ideas Keep ambassadors engaged during trainings, both online and in-person Pop quiz Quick recall True/false activities Memes Screenshots/graphics/images with directional arrows Group share Think-Pair-Share Professional attire for presentations Expectations outlined at the state level Vendors for apparel Ambassadors should be easily identifiable Engagement and interaction are key both in training the ambassadors and when the ambassadors complete their presentations. Both you and the ambassadors need to add personality/”flavor” to the presentations – keeps students interested Set clear expectations for appropriate attire for the presentations (the ambassador needs to be identifiable)

Program tips and ideas Body language tips How to stand Arm/hand motion Voice volume Movement around the room Inclusion, diversity, and equity practices Both in selection process and in training Ambassadors need to be aware of the high importance of inclusion, diversity, and equity in agricultural education, no matter where they are in the continuum Take ambassadors to meals at a variety of locations (ranging in price, location, culture/style, etc.)  Ambassadors need to be exposed to a variety of cultures, scenarios, etc. They need to understand the importance of inclusion, diversity, and equity so that they can be effective presenters and future teachers. Agricultural education is a place for everyone and we need to make that clear in our actions, words, and programs.

Program tips and ideas National Teach Ag Day The National Teach Ag Ambassadors are encouraged to celebrate National Teach Ag Day in their own unique way, since they are located across the country at that time. National Teach Ag Day would be an excellent opportunity for a state-level ambassador team to work together to develop a celebration either at a high school or university to promote the mission and goals of the National Teach Ag Campaign and celebrate the agriculture teachers in their state. Identify different ways to celebrate National Teach Ag Day and engage with each other and the National Teach Ag Campaign. Maybe send ambassadors to local ag programs, conduct workshops on a campus and invite local programs to participate, etc.

Professional development It is important to invest in the ambassadors by providing them with professional development opportunities, so that they see the value of the program they are involved in, and want to continue their involvement in their professional organization(s). Beech Grove High School, Indiana Ambassadors work collaboratively to create a quick lesson for the high school students about career/employability skills. Work with the CASE certified teachers to learn about CASE and complete CASE activities that they can implement in their future classrooms. *In 2019, we are planning to allow seniors and/or graduate students participate in NAAE’s National Agriscience Preservice Teacher Program, to provide them with additional professional development about inquiry-based instruction. Take ambassadors to new teacher workshops at state convention. Find opportunities like state-level AgI² Institutes, regional NAAE conferences, preservice CASE Institutes, etc. Find ways for the ambassadors to engage with each other, current teachers, and learn about agriscience, inquiry-based instruction, backwards design, classroom management, etc.

Engagement in the profession Encourage our ambassadors to network with each other and current agriculture teachers Ambassadors have dinner with NAAE, Teach Ag, and CASE staff to network and engage with the leaders in our organization and to continue to build a positive atmosphere in agricultural education for the preservice teachers.   Ambassador group meals together throughout the week of National FFA Convention to encourage networking and collaboration with each other. Again, engagement is key. The ambassadors need opportunities to meet state leaders and university faculty in ag education. Putting a face to a name is crucial to have them feeling like they belong in ag education – a promising practice for new teacher retention.

financials We cover the following costs for the National Teach Ag Ambassadors: Meals (up to $45/day) Travel costs (plane ticket, mileage) Apparel (t-shrits, polos, vests) Binders with resources printed out for ambassadors to use Hotel room during National FFA Convention $50 stipends for each presentation/workshop after National FFA Convention (up to 4 presentations, ambassadors have 1 year to complete) Covers the costs of travel and any supplies they may need This needs to be a state/university decision. However, remember that these are college students, many of whom have a small budget, so try to cover as much of the cost for them as possible in terms of meals and travel. Consider your budget before setting a number of ambassadors to be selected, so that you can financially cover their costs to participate.

Sponsor engagement Face-to-face meetings on the Wednesday morning of National FFA Convention Teach Ag Signing Events throughout the week at the Teach Ag booth *It is important to show our sponsors how their gracious monetary contributions are being used to address the national demand for agriculture teachers.   The National Teach Ag Campaign is a project of the National Council for Agricultural Education, led by the National Association of Agricultural Educators. Funding for the National Teach Ag Campaign is provided by the CHS Foundation, Corteva Agriscience™ Agriculture Division of DowDuPont™, Growth Energy, and BASF as a special project of the National FFA Foundation. Who are your state-level stakeholders? Identify these individuals and make a point to set up face-to-face meetings with the ambassadors, so they can again network and understand the importance of the stakeholders in ag education.

More Information Andrea Fristoe Program Manager Afristoe.naae@uky.edu 800-509-0204