From Left, Nelson McCracken, NAAE, Region V, Vice President; Chris Hicks, North Carolina; Dusty Moore, iCEV; Eric Tilleman, NAAE, 2023-2024 President.
Courtesy photo
Chris Hicks was recognized for his dedication to agricultural education and received the 2024 National Association of Agricultural Educators Teacher Mentor Award, presented during the 2024 NAAE Convention, Dec. 3-7, in San Antonio.
The NAAE Teacher Mentor Award is presented to an NAAE member who has excelled in preparing beginning agricultural educators into the profession by offering advice and guiding them to their own professional strengths. The NAAE Teacher Mentor Award is sponsored by
iCEV.
Hicks is an agricultural educator at Lakewood High School in North Carolina. Hicks believes in providing early career teachers with the guidance and support needed to navigate the challenges of the profession. His mentoring philosophy focuses on collaboration, support, and continuous learning, creating a safe space for mentees to ask questions, take risks, and develop their own teaching style. Hicks emphasizes hand- on learning and real-world application, encouraging mentees to offer practical experiences to their students. He also fosters professional growth by encouraging involvement in organizations like the North Carolina Agriculture Teachers Association, helping mentees build leadership skills and a lifelong commitment to development.
NAAE is the professional organization for agricultural educators with over 9,000 members nationwide. The organization advocates for agricultural education, provides advancement through professional development for agricultural educators, and works to recruit and retain agricultural educators in the profession. NAAE offers a variety of programs and services to support this three-pronged mission. The mission of NAAE is “professionals providing agricultural education for the global community through visionary leadership, advocacy and service.” NAAE is headquartered in Lexington, Ky.