Curtis, Nebraska — More than 35 secondary agricultural educators from Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado gathered July 7–10 at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis, Nebraska, for the 2026 Tri-State DELTA Conference, a premier professional development event designed to strengthen teaching, leadership, and innovation in school-based agricultural education. Christina Wallace, FFA Instructor at Minneapolis Junior Senior High School, participated in the 2026 Tri-State DELTA Conference and was selected among only four others to present a lesson at the conference.
Hosted by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication (ALEC), the Kansas Department of Education, and the Colorado Community Colleges, the annual conference provides educators with practical strategies, collaborative learning opportunities, and meaningful professional connections that enhance student learning and support long-term teacher success. Significant funding was also provided by the Nebraska FFA Foundation and the Kansas FFA Foundation.
Throughout the four-day conference, participants engaged in hands-on workshops, keynote presentations, instructional breakout sessions, and networking opportunities focused on innovative teaching practices, student engagement, leadership development, agricultural technology, and program excellence.
"The Tri-State DELTA Conference is about investing in the people who invest in students every day," said Stacie Turnbull, Lecturer in UNL's Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication. "Agricultural educators wear many hats—as classroom teachers, FFA advisors, and community leaders. DELTA provides them with practical tools, fresh ideas, and a network of colleagues who understand both the opportunities and challenges of the profession."
Since its inception, Tri-State DELTA Conferences have become a valued regional collaboration that brings together agricultural educators to learn from one another, share best practices, and return home equipped to make an immediate impact in their schools and communities.
The 2026 Tri-State conference was made possible through partnerships among the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication, the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture, the Nebraska FFA Foundation, the Kansas Department of Education, the Kansas FFA Foundation, the Colorado Community College System, and additional sponsors committed to advancing agricultural education across the region.