PAF Safety Coordinator Spotlight: Nora Hoy
For Nora Hoy of Tyrone, Pennsylvania, her journey with Progressive Agriculture Safety Days (PAF Safety Days) started at the National FFA Convention. “One of my favorite booths to visit is always the PAF Safety Day Booth,” Nora recalled. That booth visit, combined with encouragement from both her FFA chapter advisor and her mom, Tiffany, inspired her to take on the role of coordinator and bring a PAF Safety Day to the kindergarteners in her school.
Since then, Nora has coordinated multiple PAF Safety Days at her school, assisted with another district’s program, and even helped launch her county fair’s first-ever Ag Safety Zone. Each event has been a rewarding experience. As she explained, “The Safety Day program has been an incredible way to teach important safety tips to the kindergarteners at our school. This day is a highlight of the school year for me due to seeing not only the excitement of both the high school students and kindergarteners, however, I enjoy seeing the adults in the room learn something new through this program.”
One of Nora’s favorite parts of coordinating a PAF Safety Day is watching how much the lessons resonate with the youngest participants. “The kindergarteners are incredible at spreading and remembering the safety tools that we taught them,” she said. “It is incredible to hear the safety lessons that these kids remember after a year. Some will come up to me or other FFA members and explain how they have brought these safety lessons back to their families and friends.”
Resources from the Progressive Agriculture Foundation (PAF) have played a big role in her success. “The materials that PAF provides are very informative and useful when trying to get a point across,” Nora said. “They provide everything from safety area ideas to videos and plans that explain how to create demonstrations to ensure that the safety point is getting across to the audience. I appreciate the communication the PAF provides. They send out information that is important and at a timely manner.”
For Nora, the impact of PAF Safety Days extends well beyond the kindergarteners. She loves hearing from teachers in the room who pick up something new right alongside their students. “I really enjoy when I see the kindergarteners during the following school year and hearing about how they have used the Safety Day lesson at home. I also love it when I hear the teachers in the back of the room saying ‘Wow, I didn’t know that’ when I or one of the other volunteers are teaching a lesson to a group of students. It is amazing to see how a PAF Safety Day intended for young children actually teaches more than simply the intended audience.”
When asked what she would say to others considering hosting a Safety Day, Nora’s advice was clear: “Simply, do it. Working with PAF is truly a great decision. The curriculum is some of the best safety lessons that I have seen. Additionally, the people who work at PAF are incredibly nice and encouraging. Whether you meet them in person, online, or at a PAF event, they are helpful and they want to see you succeed.”
Reflecting on the experience, Nora said hosting PAF Safety Days has become a highlight not just for her, but for her entire team of volunteers. “This experience has not only educated the students but has also taught all of us many safety tips that we may have not known.”