Schedule

Hemlock

(included with Registration)
Hemlock

• It doesn’t have to Succ Floral Design
Ash
Winter doesn't have to suc! Join us for a fun and engaging workshop where we will be using everyday tools to create a whimsy moss wreath featuring locally grown dried flowers and everyone's favorite: succulents. You will be provided with all the tools you need to create this sweet little piece of home decor. This is intended to be displayed indoors as the succulents you will be provided are tender and can't freeze. Lavender and Locks Floral Design and Flower Farm will help lead this workshop and provide tips and tricks on design based on over 9 years of floral design experience.

• NAAE #TeachAg Agents Workshop (free #TeachAg Agent kit for workshop attendees)
Birch
In 2023, NAAE released the first edition of the #TeachAg lesson plan in a box in celebration of National #TeachAg Day. These lessons were designed to help our #TeachAg Agents “crack the code” in recruiting the interest of students to become agriculture teachers. We look forward to equipping you with even more tools as you continue to serve and protect the profession of teaching agriculture. Agriculture Teachers make solving cases inside and outside of the classroom their daily specialty. No mystery is too great for you to solve! That is why we need your help in preparing the future of the agricultural education profession. Did you receive the first edition #TeachAg Lesson Plan in a Box? If not, we are giving some away during this workshop.

(included with Registration)
Elm

Ash

Welcome
Pledge of Allegiance
Reflections
Minutes from NAAE Convention
NAAE Report
2025 Spring Business Meeting/ Conference
Committee Discussions
State Reports
AERO Group Reports
Award Application Scoring
State Summer Conference Dates
New Business
Adjourn

• Enhancing Agricultural Education: Empowering Instructors with Accessibility Tools
Dr. Dale Layfield, Associate Professor of Agricultural Education | Clemson University
Birch
One of the greatest challenges educators face is to assure that all learners have the same opportunities and access to class content. Due to various student disabilities, this challenge may be present, but sometimes unrecognized, for different reasons. This presentation will address issues and solutions around accessibility for learners. Google and Microsoft (among others) provide a wealth of free tools that can aid students with visual and other disabilities. In addition, some discussion regarding the USDA program, AgrAbility, and links to your classroom will be addressed.

• Sweet Sheep Genetics
Fir
As animal industries advance livestock through genetics, more issues and solutions are discovered. In this activity, our students will crossbreed sheep and predict which genetic disease may show up – diseases the industry is working hard to eliminate. Be ready to get hands-on in this real-world Mendelian Genetics activity. An effective way to reinforce or practice predicting dihybrid crosses, using Punnett Squares, etc. in your classroom.

(included in Registration)
Elm

• NAAE Building Resiliency in High Quality Educators
Ash
Being a teacher is demanding work…but very important work. Times can be challenging but as agricultural educators we know that we can be resilient. Come learn about how you can build your resiliency and have a satisfying career through the good and the challenging times.

Committee Meetings
Ash, Birch, & Fir

• Center for Dairy Excellence
Ash
Dairy Leaders of Tomorrow is a three-part high school educational platform specifically designed for students interested in working in dairy production and related careers. The program offers two industry certifications in dairy herd management and dairy business management, along with relevant coursework, to expose students to the skills and knowledge they need to work on or with dairy farm operations. The Dairy Leaders of Tomorrow curriculum can be completed independently or included in coursework within an agriculture education class. Additional on-farm learning opportunities are also available, including a Farm Tour and "Exploration Experiences.” Currently, this program is influencing over 19,500 high school students in over 500 classrooms across the country.

• My Local Cooperative – Careers in Cooperatives for Your Students
Birch
Will your business become a great success? Will you be able to make the most sound financial business decisions? Find out if you will make the right choices towards success in the My Local Cooperative Workshop. The National Association of Agricultural Educators is working in partnership with the CHS Foundation to offer a series of workshops on Cooperatives. Gear up to fully immerse yourself in the cooperative business model. Be prepared to offer engaging and informational instruction on the cooperative business model, the impact of cooperatives on the community and cooperative career opportunities. This is a workshop that continues to keep on giving as you can apply for a $100 grant and receive a complimentary co-op in a box that features instructional materials, visual aids, and interactive materials ($100 value).

• Advocating for Your Program and in Ag Education
Fir
This workshop will give educators a basic understand of advocacy and its importance and then apply this information to advocating for agricultural education in their school, community, and state.

(included in Registration)
Dockside Willie's
Please provide your own transportation

optional; additional fee required

(included in Registration)
Elm

• Smith River Run-Mapping Water Quality
Ash
What's happening along Smith River? Algae blooms in the watershed are impacting the ecosystem and the economy, and it is our job to investigate where the cause is coming from- is it natural, rural based, or urban caused? Experience an engaging inquiry activity that will allow your students to decide where and how to test for the nutrients that are causing problems and track down the sources. We will not only test water samples, but also use location-based data layers to help analyze where the problem is along the Smith River Run!

• Utilizing Global Perspectives to Enrich Classroom Instruction
Birch
Are you looking to grow your students’ ability to appreciate global applications of agricultural science? During this workshop, you will evaluate your strengths as an educator using the Global Perspectives Inventory, participate in sample lesson that demonstrates cross-curricular collaboration using global agriculture as a context, and gain sample global agriculture resources you can immediately integrate into your existing curriculum. On-demand professional development resources for educators will also be shared for teachers to continue growing in their own global competence.

• All About Apples
Ash
Dianna Jerema
The single best measure of determining apple maturing for storing apples is the starch pattern that develops in the fruit. This workshop will provide you some facts about the fruit industry in PA and the Northeast US; help you gain skills to identify apple varieties and learn how to judge them; and finally, apply skills to analyze the presence of carbohydrates in the apple. You'll be able to implement this in any agriculture class as it relates to consumer awareness.

• The Grizzly Greenhouse Murders! A Mysterious Twist on Floral Identification
Birch
This investigation is intended to introduce flower morphology and give students hands-on experience identifying floral species by using a dichotomous key. Correct identification of the species in question and evidence from the crime scene will help the students identify the most likely suspect in this murder investigation.

Ash