Building Community and Administrative Support through Professionalism (2003)

Support is the key to an outstanding Agricultural Education program. You can be the best teacher in the world but if you do not have the community support along with the support of the administration your program will wither and die on the vine. As an agricultural educator it is very important that a professional attitude and rapport is maintained between administration and community. The purpose of this article is to help you identify the things you can do to help develop that support. One of the key aspects of developing support from your administration is have them become involved with your chapter and program. Invite the administration to activities that the program and FFA are involved with. In Okanogan we have a bar-b-que that welcomes members back to school and offers potential new members a chance to see what the agricultural and FFA programs are all about. We have invited administrators to this activity for several years. This is a laid-back fun activity that promotes FFA and the agricultural program. Kids and parents alike are able to talk with everyone involved in the program and it makes for a good icebreaker for the new members. Having administrators at activities shows that your program is supported by the school district and it also gives people the opportunity to talk one-on-one with school officials. Also, inviting administrators to functions is a professional courtesy that should be extended. Developing a work ethic, in my opinion, is the best possible way to develop community support in your local area. Do not be afraid to involve the community in your activities. I think you will find that things will go smoother and people will be more than willing to help out when it comes to your program. Most communities like to see individuals who are dedicated professionals and willing to put the extra time and effort to help their children and grandchildren to succeed. The community is what ultimately makes or breaks your program. If you have strong community ties the likelihood of the program being cut is much less. No matter what your perception of your community is, they do see what you are doing in the community with the their children and grandchildren. It is my belief that anytime your members are involved in the community you should be there. This includes sporting events, graduations as well as the fair and livestock shows. Community members are watching your program and the things that are being accomplished. When the Okanogan FFA has an event the effort is made to publicize the event no matter how important. The media is informed about all functions we participate in during the school year. Every article that we send in thanks the community for its continued support. I believe that it is very important to follow through with community contacts and use them to the best of your ability. Make as many community contacts as possible-use these people for all types of activities and for advice. These people tend to be tremendous resources for your program. Cooperation is very important to program success and people in the community have expertise that can make your teaching easier and more informational. Also, when the community understands your program better the stronger your program will be. People are willing to help but they need to be asked before they will participate. Remember when calling on community members for help, you should make sure to put these people in a non-stressful role. Make sure that the people who are involved are treated in a professional manner along with having fun. Each event is important and you as an agricultural educator need to set the example of proper work ethic, you need to arrive early and be the last to leave. Your willingness to participate in these events helps to build your program. …