A Project of the Department of Education at Cornell University

Staff:

Eric Larsen
Interim Director – Agricultural Outreach and Education
Teacher Services and State FFA Advisor
(607)254-6385, Email- eal86@cornell.edu
Address: 106 Kennedy Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853

Provide leadership for all Agricultural Outreach and Education (AOE) projects
Secure and maintain funding for AOE
Develop and maintain relationships with all Stakeholders.
Executive Director of The New York Ag. Ed. Leadership Council.

Lead the development of the program direction and priority activities
Design the professional development plan for agricultural science education
Seek funding sources outside of state grant funds
Point person for FFA Awards and CDE’s
Serve as Executive Director of the New York Association of Agricultural Educators (NYAAE)
Build partnerships for New York Agricultural Education
Work with school administration, Boards of Education, and Ag. Advisory Groups to develop new agricultural education programs
Visit secondary agricultural education programs to provide advice/direction for Ag. Ed.
Provide support for current programs to their administration

Shari Lighthall
Teacher Services
(315)346-1222, Email- lsc1@cornell.edu
Address: 9340 Long Pond Rd, Croghan, NY 13327

Point person for the NYAAE Summer Conference
Professional development for secondary teachers
Visit secondary agricultural education programs to provide advice/direction for Ag. Ed.
Environmental and leadership education at Oswegatchie
Maintain the agricultural education directories and databases
Maintain the Agricultural Education Outreach portion of the web site.
Negotiate event contracts for all AOE programs
Assist with FFA events
Assist with Ag. In The Classroom (AITC) events
Maintain the AGED-L Listserve

Juleah Tolosky
Youth Services Specialist and FFA Executive Secretary
(607)254-2880, Email- jft25@cornell.edu
Address: 106 Kennedy Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853

Coordinate all FFA activities, events and awards
Supervise the state FFA officer team
Maintain NYS FFA web site
Provide advice on local FFA programming through communication or visits
Point person for all questions related to National FFA
Provide all required documentation to National FFA Organization
Process State and National membership rosters
Special Assistant to FFA Governing Board
- Coordinate meetings
- Agenda items
- Point of information during meetings
Assist with professional development events

The goal of Agricultural Education Outreach is to support and advise local agriculture education programs in public schools to that these programs may better serve the New York State economy by preparing individuals for career opportunities in the food and fiber system and related allied fields. To achieve this purpose, the following objectives have been identified:

• Enhance the quality of agriculture education programs for secondary and postsecondary agriculture educators through professional development and new curricula.

• Promote the value of agriculture programs to schools that do not offer it.

• Promote agriculture education career opportunities to a wide range of nontraditional audiences.

• Recruit candidates for agriculture education certification to meet the critical need for teachers to fill vacancies and new position openings.

• Provide support to new professionals through professional development and other programs that meet their specific needs.

• Provide the leadership and coordination of resources needed for local program certification for a technical education endorsement on the Regents Diploma of students completing a program sequence.

• Provide leadership opportunities in the New York Association of the FFA for all agriculture students grades seven through twelve and Postsecondary Agriculture Students’ Organization (PAS).