Twenty early-career agricultural education teachers will receive a
combined $23,500 from the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation to support their
continued work in classrooms and FFA programs across Nebraska.
The funding is provided through the Dr. Allen G. and Kay L. Blezek Teacher Retention
Award, which supports agricultural educators during their first five years in the
profession.
“Early-career teachers are doing much more than teaching classes. They’re building
FFA programs, developing relationships with families and communities, and helping
students see a future for themselves in agriculture,” said Megahn Schafer, executive
director of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation. “We want talented educators to see
a future for themselves here, too. This award helps ease some of the financial pressure
that can come with those first years in the profession while recognizing the impact
they’re already making.”
Teachers are eligible for increasing award amounts as they progress through their first
five years of teaching. The funds can help recipients continue their education, address
outstanding student loans, and meet other needs as they establish their careers in
agricultural education.
The 2026 recipients are Che Balcom, Banner County; Danie Brandl, Platte County;
Erica Brown, Banner County; Kiley Codner, Hall County; Jadyn Fleischman,
Washington County; Kate Holcomb, Custer County; Toriann Holly, Jefferson County;
Emily Kammerer, Lincoln County; Kylie Kinley, Nuckolls County; Jenna Knake, Otoe
County; Rylie Krause, York County; Trevor Mann, Lincoln County; Lexi Meister, Cuming
County; Erin Oldemeyer, Lancaster County; Mai Lee Olsen, Banner County; Anna
Ready, Colfax County; Megan Skibinski, Valley County; Andra Smith, Blaine County;
Kelsey Steinkraus, Chase County; and Payden Woodruff, Hall County.
The teacher retention award is a longtime program of the Nebraska Farm Bureau
Foundation and was renamed in recognition of an estate gift from Dr. Allen Blezek.
Blezek spent his career advancing agricultural education in Nebraska. He was an
agricultural education teacher, served as the first director of the Nebraska LEAD
program, and was a founding member of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation board
of directors.
