They are like no other. Their investment into student success is unmatched. They strive for continual student growth, career success and premier leadership within a classroom setting. No matter how long the day might be, agriculture, food and natural resource (AFNR) educators are truly one of a kind. A teacher that puts in countless hours of hard work to find and watch ways their students can succeed.
Becoming an AFNR teacher is no easy task, from hours of course work and then devoting their time to spending one semester student teaching. Texas Corn Producers (TCP) aims to aide students who are striving to go into youth education with financial support.
“TCP sees value in supporting our scholarship recipients, as this is also a pathway to integrate education on corn production to high school students,” Hannah Dast, education director for TCP, said.
These future AFNR educators spend a full semester as a full-time student without a paying job, as they dedicate hours to learning how to successfully teach and lead young agriculturists in the classroom and through extracurricular activities such as FFA. That is why TCP offers an AFNR educator scholarship program to alleviate the financial sacrifice these future educators as they put aside their time to devote to their student teaching.
TCP awards two students from a Texas university with a $500 scholarship during their student teaching period. College students interested in receiving the scholarship must be a student member of Texas Corn Producers Association (TCPA) and agree to teach a corn-based lesson during their student teaching assignment.
This fall, Tarleton State University is holding a student teaching block. The recipients of this college’s AFNR Educator Scholarships are:
Jordon Bien – Bien will be spending his semester student teaching in Whitehouse, Texas, at Whitehouse High School. Bien said he is most excited to chase his lifelong dream of becoming an agricultural science teacher and is eternally grateful for this scholarship that helped support him in chasing his dream of impacting students’ lives. Jordon thanks TCP for not only investing in educators, but students who will become the next generation of agriculturists.
Cameron Price – Price is student teaching at Stephenville High School, in Stephenville, Texas, over the course of this semester. Price said his scholarship will allow him to focus all of his time and effort on being the best educator he can be, while having some relief in terms of finances. Price said his passion for the industry is strong and is blessed to have the opportunity to apply for this scholarship program that TCPA offers students in college to financially help out during his student teaching semester.
“We would like to congratulate Jordon and Cameron as our recipients for the AFNR Educator Scholarship,” Dast said. “Having the opportunity to invest in these educators is a building block of a partnership with the next generation of educators and leaders in the industry.”
TCP wishes the best to Jordon and Cameron as they fulfill their student teaching assignments this semester, and as they continue to invest in Texas youth within agriculture. TCP knows the potential impact of their profession goes far beyond the classroom and is honored to select them as scholarship recipients.
AFNR Educator Scholarships will be available at participating state universities with a spring student teaching block soon. Visit TCP’s AFNR Scholarship page HERE.
