Natalie (Horning) Holbrook. Photo courtesy of Washtenaw County Farm Bureau.

Natalie (Horning) Holbrook, from Manchester, has been selected for the Upper Division Agricultural Education Scholarship from the National Association of Agricultural Educators. Natalie, who has studied agricultural education at Michigan State University, graduated this past spring with her Bachelor’s in Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resource Education; with teaching minors in Biology and Integrated Science.

“This coming school year I will be working towards completing my teaching certificate by student teaching at North Huron high school in Kinde, MI,” Natalie said. “The scholarship is meant to help me get through my student teaching year.” Upon completion of her student teaching, she will be a fully certified teacher, and she plans to teach agriscience and related classes at the high school level.

NAAE awards the $1,500 scholarships to help offset expenses during recipients’ student teaching experiences. Twenty-two students from across the United States were selected based on their academic performance as well as on leadership and service activities. The funding for the NAAE Upper Division Scholarship program comes from Growth Energy, Herman & Bobbie Wilson, National Geographic Learning | Cengage Learning, and donations by NAAE members.

NAAE is the professional organization in the United States for agricultural educators.  It provides its’ more than 8,000 members with professional networking and development opportunities, professional liability coverage, and extensive awards and recognition programs. The mission of NAAE is “professionals providing agricultural education for the global community through visionary leadership, advocacy and service.”  The NAAE headquarters are in Lexington, Ky.