Thank you to our 2025 NAAE Partners. We appreciate your continued support.
AET, G-W Publisher, Forrest T. Jones, Lab-Aids, RAYN Growing Systems
PLATINUM
SILVER
BRONZE
SIX REGIONS
One united force for agricultural education
A Year of Community and Accomplishment
Leading and learning together. You’ll see that theme reflected again and again throughout the pages of this year’s annual report.
If what you read here sparks new ideas or renews your passion for how you show up for the agricultural education community, then our mission has just begun. Together, we will continue to innovate how we lead our profession, how we support our students, and how we move American agriculture forward.
The NAAE community accomplished so much in 2025.
• Record membership
• New and improved professional development experiences for members at every stage of their careers
• A new and innovative way to use recruitment and retention data to advocate for agricultural education
• Thousands of students and agriculture teachers coming together on National #TeachAg Day to celebrate and explore the profession like never before
• Record-breaking attendance at the NAAE Convention, bringing together more educators than ever before to learn, connect, and grow.
My heartfelt thanks goes out to each and every person who was part of the NAAE community this year. Your commitment, energy, and leadership made 2025 a truly remarkable year. I can’t wait to see what we accomplish together in the year ahead and beyond.
Alissa Smith, NAAE CEO
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND REGIONAL SECRETARIES
2024-2025
President
President-Elect
Region I VP
Region II VP
Region III VP
Region IV VP
Region V VP
Region VI VP
Past President
Chief Executive
Officer
Bill Newsom, TN
Cameron Dale, OK
Kyle Stapleton, ID
Lauren Emerson, LA
Paul Aarsvold, MN
John Hammond, KY
Nelson McCracken, GA
Aaron Geiman, MD
Eric Tilleman, MT
Alissa Smith
Regional Secretaries
Region I Secretary
Region II Secretary
Region III Secretary
Region IV Secretary
Region V Secretary
Region VI Secretary
Sharon Metzger, AZ
Jennifer Hamlin, OK
(December -June)
Marty Jones, OK
(June - December)
Desi Severance, ND
Mike Jones, IN
Ruby McCracken, GA
Darla Romberger, PA
LEADING AND LEARNING IN
Community.
MEMBERSHIP
INCREASE FOUR YEARS RUNNING
We have a common understanding and a shared experience that reaches far beyond the boundaries of our school districts.
Our nationwide network enables one to be impacted by many and for many to be impacted by one.
Record High Membership
last highest recorded membership in 1960 (10,160)
10,351
members
Overall NAAE Membership
Largest State Association
Georgia Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association
731 members
Overall NAAE Membership Largest Region
Region V – Nelson McCracken, Regional Vice President 2,222 members
NAAE Student Membership
Largest State Association
Wisconsin Association of Agricultural Educators 143 members
Largest Percentage Increase in NAAE Membership, State
Arkansas
50% increase to 223 members
Largest Percentage Increase in NAAE Membership, Region
Region V – Nelson McCracken, Regional Vice President 12.22% increase
8,352 Active Members
1,256 Student Members
33 Retired Members
357 Retired Life Members
9 Associate Life Members
270 Life Members
74 Associate Members
10% increase in membership Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia
4th year in a row for a membership increase
5.74% increase from 2023-2024 membership year
3.79% increase in active membership from 2023-2024 membership year
STATE TEACH AG RESULTS (STAR) PROGRAM
STAR Program Drives Impact
The NAAE STAR (State Teach Ag Results) Program drives statewide impact by building a sustainable system that recruits future agricultural educators, supports current teachers through targeted professional development and mentoring, and strengthens high-quality agricultural education year after year.
Support for Early-Career Educators Proves Vital
The New Teacher Program has cut teacher attrition in half, demonstrating the power of targeted support for early-career educators. The program kicks off with a New and Beginning Teachers Retreat just before the school year starts, offering essential resources, a Q&A panel, and guidance on navigating the profession. It continues throughout the year, providing support and mentorship during the critical early years of teaching agriculture.
126,273 STUDENTS IMPACTED
STAR IN SOUTH CAROLINA
STATE TEACH AG RESULTS (STAR) PROGRAM
$425,573 INVESTED NATIONWIDE IN STATE STAR PLANS
41 STATES IN THE STAR PROGRAM
STAR IN MONTANA Catalogs and Planners Promote Potential Ag Hires
Montana has created a pre-service teacher catalog to distribute to schools in the state with open agricultural education positions. The resource contains profiles of candidates so schools can easily get a snapshot of graduates who are available for hire. The state also distributes a printed Ag Teacher Planner to all its teachers, which includes checklists, calendars, key contacts, and more.
STAR IN WISCONSIN Teacher-Led Podcast
Inspires Community
The Cultivating Classrooms podcast offers professional development insights and innovative strategies teachers can implement. Through engaging discussions, Wisconsin agricultural educators and hosts Emmy Huber and Sammy Jurczykowski provide a way for agricultural educators to feel connected and inspired whenever their busy schedules allow them to tune in.
Find the Cultivating Classrooms podcast on
3,507 teams registered to participate
312 breakout challenge boxes sent across the country
604.3K social accounts reached through #TeachAg
14,028 students impacted
1,743 teams completed
43 states represented
SEPTEMBER
18, 2025
National #TeachAg Day
This year, NAAE hosted a national #TeachAg Breakout Challenge. This virtual experience invited students to work in teams to find clues, solve puzzles, and learn why a career in agricultural education might be right for them.
NAAE distributed instructional material boxes to 300 agricultural educators, providing hands-on resources to support student completion of the challenge. In addition, all agricultural educators nationwide had access to a print-at-home version through downloadable materials on the NAAE website.
NAAE National #TeachAg Day is always the third Thursday in September. It’s a day to celebrate the profession of agricultural education and encourage students to consider careers as agricultural educators.
2,070 FFA members from all 50 states, PR & the VI signed up for the NAAE #TeachAg campaign
Oct. 29-Nov. 1, 2025 | Indianapolis, IN
FFA Convention & Expo
The National FFA Convention and Expo is an opportunity for NAAE to support agricultural educators where they are and reach students who may one day choose a career in agricultural education.
48 state leaders attended workshops about ag teacher recruitment and retention
12 national #TeachAg Ambassadors representing 11 institutions earned 54 hours of professional development
155 pre-service ag educators attended the 2025 Alpha Tau Alpha Conclave, supported by NAAE.
1,000 agricultural educators received Ag Teacher Wellness Kits powered by the CHS Foundation
NAAE Educators Lounge
110 agricultural educators participated in a NAAE Agriscience Learning Lab, earning 137.5 hours of professional development sponsored by Corteva
1,199+ agricultural educators visited the NAAE educators lounge powered by the CHS Foundation 73,379 total FFA members and guests in attendance
2025 #TeachAg Ambassadors
Agriscience Learning Lab
#TeachAg Workshop
2025 NAAE Convention
December 8-12, 2025 | Nashville, TN
For the second year in a row, convention numbers reached a record high, with 1,202 registered attendees and guests present in Nashville, TN.
Pre-service teacher cohort
ATTENDANCE & REACH
18 past National NAAE Officers in attendance
145 preservice teachers from 19 institutions
48 attended the First Time Attendee Meeting
$4169 raised for the Ag Ed Relief Fund
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
3493.25 hours awarded from 108 workshops
34 participated in Teachers Turn the Key
13 participated in XLR8
12 participated in INFLUENCE
15 participated in the XLR8 2.0 program
139 pre-service teachers from 19 institutions took part in the Future Agriscience Teacher Symposium
56 National Agriscience Teacher Ambassadors attended the National Agriscience Teacher
Ambassador Symposium
107 attended the NAAE Administration Track, representing 32 states
31 participated in the Wise Owls Roundtable
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
53 NAAE Awards were presented, recognizing:
11 agricultural education programs
70 agricultural educators:
• 36 individual awards
• 34 teacher program awards
6 agricultural education supporters
28 state associations recognized with Professional State Association awards
OUR PARTNERS
27 NAAE Sponsors and Partners made the 2025 NAAE Convention possible.
44 partners and more than 800 members took part in the Members and Partners Reception.
$10,000+ worth of door prizes were given away to members who participated in the reception.
LEADING THROUGH
lifelong learning.
NPS and INFLUENCE develop ag educators as advocates and lifelong learners.
Our environment cultivates a sense of curiosity and fosters problem-solving skills that are sustained well-beyond a formal education. We are driven to constantly improve and evolve not only for our students but also for ourselves .
Inaugural INFLUENCE Class Takes on Challenge of Advocating for Ag Ed
Twelve agricultural educators participated in the first ever INFLUENCE program, applying their learning through Individualized Intentional Influence Plans as a capstone experience. These plans outlined specific, actionable goals to expand influence within their schools, communities, and states. Highlights included strengthening local ag education programs, advancing teacher recruitment and retention efforts, and creating long-term shifts in how agricultural education is perceived. The impact of this first class extends beyond individual projects, generating lasting benefits for agricultural education and the students it serves.
Advancing Advocacy
Pairing advocacy with intention in latest NAAE member program
Strong advocacy requires more than sharing success stories, it demands intentional communication, relationship-building, and strategic action.
To meet that need, the NAAE developed the INFLUENCE program to prepare agricultural educators to lead through purposeful advocacy. INFLUENCE equips experienced educators with the skills to build meaningful influence at the local, state, and national levels through targeted professional development focused on clear messaging, stakeholder engagement, and strategic action.
XLR8
• 13 Teachers
• 13 States
• 2,390 students impacted
Teachers Turn the Key
• 34 Teachers
• 34 States
• 6,128 students impacted
Fostering a Shared Sense of Curiosity and Purpose
Bringing out the best in our students requires us to bring out the best in ourselves. NAAE cohort programs give agricultural educators the opportunity to grow while being supported by their peers.
Future Agriscience Teachers (FAST)
• 150 pre-service agricultural educators
• 25 institutions represented
National Agriscience Teacher
Ambassador Academy
• 15 teachers
• 13 states
• 1988 students impacted
• 10 national workshops presented
Virtual Book Club
• 167 teachers
• 40 states
• 36,468 students impacted
#TeachAg Ambassadors
• 12 #TeachAg Ambassadors
• 11 Institutions
• 15 presentations in 8 states reached 771 students and stakeholders
FAST
XLR8
XLR8
Teachers Turn the Key
Teachers Turn the Key
FAST
National Agriscience Teacher Ambassador Academy
National Agriscience Teacher Ambassador Academy
LEADING AND LEARNING WITH
global purpose.
NAAE HAS MEMBERS IN ALL STATES PLUS THE 2 US TERRITORIES.
The curriculum , the skills and the experiences in our classrooms empower our students to be globally conscious and active citizens of their worlds.
Teacher Resiliency - Missouri
XLR8 - Missouri
How NAAE Supports State Associations Teacher Resiliency Workshops
19,006 students impacted
State Leader Training at NAAE convention
73
5 states attendees from 31 states
AgI2
2,042
135 teachers Minnesota students impacted Minnesota and Missouri teachers
MISSOURI
23
XLR8 State Institutes
20 teachers participated from Missouri
2,510 students impacted
Early Career Elements
10 Missouri teachers participated
NEAT Conference
Teacher Resiliency - Idaho
2024 National Supply & Demand
For Ag Teachers & Programs
*The 2025 National Supply and Demand information will be available in spring 2026.
15,005 agricultural educators in the United States
94% NATIONAL RETENTION RATE
111 agricultural educators who had previously left returned to the classroom
75% of agricultural education graduates entered the classroom
236 new agricultural education positions
highest recorded growth in ten years
Making Supply and Demand Data
For Better Advocacy
NAAE members are benefitting from the American Association of Agricultural Education's project to develop a historical, searchable database of the annual Agriculture Teacher Supply and Demand study.
Agricultural education advocates can organize data by year, state, region, or a variety of other ways , providing a way to bring forward the most relevant information on a case-by-case basis.
NAAE staff spread awareness about the Supply and Demand study and encouraged its use through presentations with the Association for Career and Technical Education Research, at The Council Summit during NAAE Convention, to policy makers and university leaders nationwide, and at AAAE regional and national meetings.
2025 NAAE Membership Awards
Ideas Unlimited
Region I Cassidy Dutton, ID
Region II Nicki Walden, OK
Region III Kayla Brune, MN
Region IV Fallon Jackson, KY
Region V Ben Woody, SC
Region VI Tina James, NY
Lifetime Achievement
Region I Milford Wearley, MT
Region II John Jones, AR
Region III Barbara Lemmer, IA
Region IV David Wyrick, MI
Region V Rod Barnes, TN
Region VI Terry Hughes, NY
Outstanding Early Career Teacher
Region I Bret Kindall, ID
Region II Kisia Holland, AR
Region III Blair Gerlach, IA
Region IV Jacqueline Wetzell, IL
Region V Emily Courson, GA
Region VI Lily-Anne Lachnor, NY
Outstanding Middle/Secondary Agricultural Education Program
Region I Tillamook HS, OR
Region II Skyline HS, KS
Region III Park Rapids HS, MN
Region IV South Putnam MS/HS, IN
Region V Sun Valley HS, NC
Region VI Millbrook HS, VA
Outstanding Postsecondary Agricultural Education Program
Region I Reedley College Agriculture Dept., CA
Region III Ridgewater College, MN
Region IV Northwest State Community College Agriculture, OH
Region V Piedmont Technical College School of Agriculture, SC
Region VI Ithaca College, NY
Outstanding Service Citation
Region I Marc Beitia, ID
Region II Brian Harris, AR
Region III Mary Hoffmann, MN
Region IV Donn Russell, MO
Region V Farrah Johnson, FL
Region VI Daniel Foster, PA
Outstanding Agricultural Education Teacher
Region I Daniel Bolen, OR
Region II Chris Bacchus, AR
Region III Alysha Kientopf, SD
Region IV Jacob Falwell, KY
Region V Ashley Holloman, NC
Region VI Michael Clark, PA
Teacher Mentor
Region I Justin Huepel, MT
Region II Kelly Hoelting, KS
Region III Pamela Koenen, MN
Region IV Mark Steber, IL
Region V Amy Paterson, FL
Region VI Rebecca Isaacson, CT
Visionary Impact
Region I Airgas, OR
Region II Jennifer Cook, AR
Region III Val Aarsvold, MN
Region IV Environmental Management, Inc., OH
Region V Amy McAllister, FL
Region VI Secretary Russell Redding, PA Dept. of Agriculture, PA
Professional State Association Awards
• California Agricultural Teachers Association
• Florida Association of Agricultural Educators
• Georgia Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association
• Illinois Association of Vocational Agriculture Teachers
• Indiana Association of Agricultural Educators
• Kansas Association of Agricultural Educators
EXEMPLARY
• Mississippi Association of Agricultural Educators
• Missouri Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association
• Nebraska Agricultural Educators Association
• New York Association of Agricultural Educators
• North Carolina Agriculture Teachers Association
• Ohio Association of Agricultural Educators
VISIONARY
• Agriculture Teachers Association of Texas
• Arizona Agriculture Teachers Association
• Arkansas Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association
• Idaho Agriculture Teachers Association
• Iowa Association of Agricultural Educators
• Louisiana Agriscience Teachers Association
• Maryland Agriculture Teachers Association
• Michigan Association of Agriscience Educators
• New Jersey Association of Agricultural Educators
• Oregon Agriculture Teacher’s Association
• South Carolina Association of Agricultural Educators
• Virginia Association of Agricultural Educators
• Pennsylvania Association of Agricultural Educators
• South Dakota Association of Agricultural Educators
• Washington Association of Agricultural Educators
• Wisconsin Association of Agricultural Educators
STATE OF DISTINCTION AWARDS
Advocacy in Agricultural Education
Pennsylvania Association of Agricultural Educators
Member Experience
Ohio Association of Agricultural Educators
Professional Development
California Agricultural Teachers Association
Teacher Recruitment, Retention, & Recognition
Missouri Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association
LEADING AND LEARNING IS
personal.
10,959
NAAE issued hours of professional development credit in 2025.
We are uniquely positioned to travel alongside our students from where they start, to what they are becoming to their readiness for the future . No other role in the school setting has the same multi-faceted potential to impact a young person’s journey.
Wise & Well Program
Comprehensive Wellness Support for All Ag Educators
The Wise & Well social media campaign provided our members with much-needed reminders throughout 2025, focusing on physical, emotional, mental, financial, and relational wellness.
LEADING AND LEARNING THROUGH
stewardship.
NAAE offered more than programs and services to our members in 2025.
65
We model how to be future stewards of our land, food sources, fuel, natural resources, technology and our society at large. We can open up perspective and a world of opportunity .
1,679,349 impressions across all platforms
194 campaigns
1,011,327
48% open rate
8,256
46,719 subscribers (+2,325 from 2024) (+5% increase from 2024) (+2.67% increase from 2024)
53,491 944 followers across all platforms +1,909 new followers earned in 2025 posts across all platforms unique sends 66 regional newsletters, 54.2% open rate 11 By Choice newsletters, 50.1% open rate subscribers for #TeachAg list
THANK YOU
We appreciate our Partners in the Profession
NAAE fosters relationships with agricultural education-related organizations and stakeholders to promote the profession to both pre-service and current agricultural educators. These groups provide opportunities, resources, and more for members.
THANK YOU TO THESE PARTNERS!
NPS Ad Ed Strand
"Providing
agricultural education students with the opportunity to come together allows them to share experiences, build a strong support system, and feel less isolated as they prepare for and enter the classroom.”
BRIDGET JOHNSON, IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
AFA AG ED PARTICIPANT
NAAE Brings 23 Agricultural Educators to the 2025
ACTE
National Policy Seminar
In 2025, NAAE provided registration assistance to 23 agricultural educators from 20 states attend the ACTE National Policy Seminar (NPS) Ag Ed Strand in Washington, D.C.
Over 50 NAAE members attended advocacyfocused professional development that supported our members in sharing their stories, highlighting program successes, and discussing key issues impacting agricultural education.
Visiting policymakers during NPS helps ag educators build meaningful relationships, influence programming decisions, and ensure continued support for funding, resources, and policies that strengthen agricultural literacy and leadership development.
NAAE at AFA Leaders Conference
