Nominate agricultural teachers for the Golden Owl Award® Agricultural Educator of the Year
The 2018-2019 Iowa Ag Educator of the Year has seen a 30-student increase in his agricultural shop class for next fall — at a high school with just over 300 students. Recipient Brad Taylor, a teacher at Roland-Story High School in Story City, Iowa, credits this growth to the recognition he received through the Golden Owl Award.
Nationwide established the Golden Owl Award to honor teachers and support them with additional resources to assist their continued educational efforts in preparing the next generation for successful agricultural careers. This year, the Golden Owl Award has expanded to include Pennsylvania, Illinois, Iowa and Ohio.
Through Nov. 16, 2019 any student, parent, teacher, or other supporters can nominate their favorite agricultural teacher for a chance to be recognized as one of the best in the state.
“I think it’s important to be a role model for the students that we have in our classes, so they understand what the opportunities are for their futures,” said Taylor. “This award symbolizes the hard work that individuals have put into agriculture education to help students realize what their full potential is.”
Approximately 26 finalists across the four states will receive an individualized plaque and $500 to support their agricultural programs. One finalist will be crowned as his/her state’s Ag Educator of the Year and will receive a Golden Owl Award trophy and $3,000 to help fund future educational efforts.
“We’re proud to recognize outstanding teachers for their dedication to agriculture education in their farming communities,” said Brad Liggett, president of agribusiness for Nationwide. “This award symbolizes the hard work that individual teachers have put into agriculture education to help students pursue their passion for farming.”
The Golden Owl Award raises awareness of the importance of agricultural education and the tremendous contributions of teachers. As the number one farm insurer in the United States¹, Nationwide aims to bring attention to the growing need for agricultural educators. This effort is the result of a partnership between Nationwide, the Ohio FFA, Ohio Farm Bureau, Pennsylvania FFA, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, Illinois FFA, Illinois Association of Vocational Agriculture Teachers, Compeer Financial, Farm Credit Illinois and the Iowa FFA Foundation.
Nominate an agricultural teacher https://www.nationwide.com/golden-owl-award