Submitted photo: ABAC representatives at the NAAE national conference included front row (l-r): Olivia Sharp, Jessica Brogdon, Kelly Rauch, Erin Gilleland, Madeline McDonald, Jessica Garrason, Erin Pearce, Madison Dysart, Ivey Cook, Abigail Zerwig, Allison Bridges, and NAAE President Stan Scurlock; second row (l-r): Dr. Andrew Thoron, Madison Shipley, Colton Peacock, Chase Greene, Victoria Henley, Jerrett Alligood, Heather Schmidt, John Gore, and Shelby McClellan.

TIFTON—The National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) recently recognized the Agricultural Education program at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College with the NAAE Outstanding Cooperation Award.

Dr. Andrew Thoron, Head of the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication at

ABAC, said the award is based on three levels of criteria which include Program Services, Support for and Cooperation with State and National Agricultural Educators Associations, and Awards and Honors.

“Everyone involved with our Agricultural Education program was extremely pleased and honored to receive this prestigious award,” Thoron said. “We were first recognized for this

cooperation in July by the Georgia Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association. Then they submitted us for the national award.”

Other ABAC faculty members who have contributed to the success of the program include Associate Professor Frank Flanders (now retired), Associate Professor Sallie McHugh, and Assistant Professor Farish Mulkey.

NAAE recognizes organizations, agribusiness companies, administrators, and others who have given outstanding support to Agricultural Education with the Outstanding Cooperation award on an annual basis. Thoron and 19 ABAC students recently traveled to Las Vegas, Nev., to the NAAE national convention to receive the award.

For the fourth year in a row, ABAC had the most graduates in Agricultural Education of any college or university east of the Mississippi River at the spring 2022 commencement ceremony.

ABAC implemented an Elementary Agricultural Education program in 2021. The program allows ABAC students to earn elementary endorsement certification in addition to their certification to teach middle and high school students. ABAC also added a three-course series for currently certified Agricultural Education teachers to add the elementary endorsement.

“ABAC also offers a one-year certification so that anyone with a Bachelor of Science degree in an agriculture-related field can take the education courses in the fall semester and student teach in the spring term,” Thoron said.

Classes for the ABAC spring term begin on Jan. 9, 2023.