Chapter Recognition
Click here to see the 2024-2025 chapter highlights!
Membership Excellence Awards
MAAE has an awards program that recognizes our members for their achievements and successes. Additionally, MAAE award recipients are able to seek further recognition at the national level through NAAE.
Award applications are due on January 15th. Please email applications to Burt Henry at [email protected].
Award applications are due on January 15th. Please email applications to Burt Henry at [email protected].
2026 Membership Excellence Award Applications
MAAE uses the NAAE applications for our awards. Award areas and descriptions, provided by NAAE, can be found below...
Outstanding Agriculture Teacher Award: This award recognizes AFNR teachers' roles in shaping the future and honors their contributions to developing the next generation of citizens and agricultural leaders. Recipients are recognized for their program development innovation as well as their commitment to lifelong learning. Each applicant must have been a NAAE/MAAE member the five (5) previous years or continuously since the applicant began teaching.
Application Instructions
Judging Rubric
Outstanding Early Career Teacher Award: The NAAE/MAAE Outstanding Early Career Teacher award recognizes beginning educators. This award looks to celebrate new teachers' accomplishments and support them throughout their careers. Each applicant must have been a NAAE member the three (3) previous years or continuously since the applicant began teaching.
Application Instructions
Judging Rubric
Outstanding Middle/Secondary Program: A goal of NAAE/MAAE is to promote outstanding programs in agricultural education and effectively communicate success stories. The Outstanding Middle/Secondary School Ag Ed Program Award seeks to recognize agriculture programs at the middle and high school level that are creating boundless classrooms and providing limitless learning for their students. The award specifically highlights the achievements and growth of the program over the last five years (2020-2025).
Application Instructions
Judging Rubric
Teacher Mentor Award: Bringing out the best in our students requires us to bring out the best in ourselves. But we never have to do that alone. The NAAE Teacher Mentor awards embodies the profound impact of “Leading and Learning Together”. The motivation to an agriculture teacher's career choices can be traced back to the influence of an exceptional mentor. This award program honors NAAE members who have committed their time and expertise to supporting and celebrating other teachers in the profession. Even though much focus is given to beginning teacher mentoring, mentoring becomes a part of lifelong learning, and this award also highlights those teachers that dedicate their career to advancing our profession through mentoring on all levels including experienced teachers.
Application Instructions
Judging Rubric
Ideas Unlimited: The Ideas Unlimited award opens the doors to a world of boundless classrooms and limitless learning opportunities for active members at every age and in every stage of their careers. NAAE members have the opportunity to exchange classroom, experiential learning, leadership, and other teaching ideas. The idea may be original or drawn from collective inspiration. Applicants are invited to showcase its implementation and how the idea can enhance agricultural education through this award category. Each applicant must have been a NAAE/MAAE member the three previous years or continuously since he/she began teaching. There are no restrictions limiting the number of times an individual can win the regional contest.
Application Instructions
Judging Rubric
Please find more information from NAAE at the link below!
NAAE Membership Excellence Award Application Information
Outstanding Agriculture Teacher Award: This award recognizes AFNR teachers' roles in shaping the future and honors their contributions to developing the next generation of citizens and agricultural leaders. Recipients are recognized for their program development innovation as well as their commitment to lifelong learning. Each applicant must have been a NAAE/MAAE member the five (5) previous years or continuously since the applicant began teaching.
Application Instructions
Judging Rubric
Outstanding Early Career Teacher Award: The NAAE/MAAE Outstanding Early Career Teacher award recognizes beginning educators. This award looks to celebrate new teachers' accomplishments and support them throughout their careers. Each applicant must have been a NAAE member the three (3) previous years or continuously since the applicant began teaching.
Application Instructions
Judging Rubric
Outstanding Middle/Secondary Program: A goal of NAAE/MAAE is to promote outstanding programs in agricultural education and effectively communicate success stories. The Outstanding Middle/Secondary School Ag Ed Program Award seeks to recognize agriculture programs at the middle and high school level that are creating boundless classrooms and providing limitless learning for their students. The award specifically highlights the achievements and growth of the program over the last five years (2020-2025).
Application Instructions
Judging Rubric
Teacher Mentor Award: Bringing out the best in our students requires us to bring out the best in ourselves. But we never have to do that alone. The NAAE Teacher Mentor awards embodies the profound impact of “Leading and Learning Together”. The motivation to an agriculture teacher's career choices can be traced back to the influence of an exceptional mentor. This award program honors NAAE members who have committed their time and expertise to supporting and celebrating other teachers in the profession. Even though much focus is given to beginning teacher mentoring, mentoring becomes a part of lifelong learning, and this award also highlights those teachers that dedicate their career to advancing our profession through mentoring on all levels including experienced teachers.
Application Instructions
Judging Rubric
Ideas Unlimited: The Ideas Unlimited award opens the doors to a world of boundless classrooms and limitless learning opportunities for active members at every age and in every stage of their careers. NAAE members have the opportunity to exchange classroom, experiential learning, leadership, and other teaching ideas. The idea may be original or drawn from collective inspiration. Applicants are invited to showcase its implementation and how the idea can enhance agricultural education through this award category. Each applicant must have been a NAAE/MAAE member the three previous years or continuously since he/she began teaching. There are no restrictions limiting the number of times an individual can win the regional contest.
Application Instructions
Judging Rubric
Please find more information from NAAE at the link below!
NAAE Membership Excellence Award Application Information
SAMPLES of Previous MAAE Award Applications (that have been selected as NAAE Region IV Winners):
Outstanding Middle/Secondary Program
Outstanding Teacher
Ideas Unlimited
Outstanding Early Career Teacher (Previously known as Outstanding Young Member)
Outstanding Middle/Secondary Program
Outstanding Teacher
Ideas Unlimited
Outstanding Early Career Teacher (Previously known as Outstanding Young Member)
Previous MAAE Award Recipients:
- 2025 MAAE Award Winners
- Early Career Teacher - Chase Bos, Newaygo
- Outstanding Middle/Secondary School Program - Ovid Elsie, Tracey Hoffman
- Lifetime Achievement - David Wyrick (also recognized as the 2025 NAAE Region IV Award Winner)
- Visionary Impact - Troy Bancroft
- Outstanding Service - Mark Forbush
- 2024 MAAE Award Winners
- Ideas Unlimited - Amanda Sturm, Montcalm
- Teachers Turn the Key Scholarship Recipient - Samantha Bos, Coopersville
- Early Career Teacher - Chase Bos, Newaygo
- Outstanding Middle/Secondary School Program - Montague; Kate Feuerstein, Makenna Schwass, & Maddie Kaminski
- 2023 MAAE Award Winners
- Outstanding Ag Ed Teacher - Jessica Couch - Hopkins
- Outstanding Middle/Secondary Program: Ravenna - Melanie Block and Kera Reterstoff
- Outstanding Early Career Teacher Award: Kera Reterstoff -Ravenna
- Teachers Turn the Key PD Scholarship Recipient - Samantha Wagner - Blissfield
- 2022 MAAE Award Winners:
- Outstanding Ag Ed Teacher - Jason Griffith - Ionia
- Outstanding Middle/Secondary Program: Lapeer County Tech Center - Tammy Hyatt
- Teachers Turn the Key: Natalie Holbrook - Sanilac Career Canter
- 2021 MAAE Award Winners:
- Outstanding Middle/Secondary Program: Lapeer County Tech Center - Tammy Hyatt
- Teachers Turn The Key: Matt Bernia - St. Louis
