Barry Kurtz, instructor at Riverland Community College in Albert Lea has been selected as the 2012 Minnesota Outstanding Postsecondary/Adult Agricultural Education Program.

This award, given by the National Association of Agricultural Educators, recognizes the nation’s most successful agricultural education programs by highlighting the local programs and teachers who achieve success. Winners have developed an outstanding agricultural education program at either the postsecondary or adult education level. Applicants are judged on a variety of criteria, including teaching philosophy, effective classroom and experiential instruction, development of partnerships, and professional growth.

Riverland Community College competed against Outstanding Postsecondary/Adult Ag Ed Program award winners from surrounding states for the opportunity to be named the 2012 Region III NAAE Outstanding Postsecondary/Adult Ag Ed program. Regional winners will receive use of a Toyota Tundra pickup truck for two years, a paid trip to attend the 2012 NAAE convention, and an invitation to a special awards dinner held in their honor. The NAAE Outstanding Postsecondary/Adult Ag Ed Program award is sponsored by Toyota as a special project of the National Future Farmers of America Foundation.