BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

 Curtis Friedel was born in Norfolk, Nebraska, in April of 1976. He grew up on

the family farm located south of Stuart, Nebraska. Curtis graduated from Atkinson West

Holt High School in May of 1995.

 Curtis attended Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri, to

obtain a Bachelor of Science in agricultural education. He fulfilled his student teaching

requirements at Randolph Public Schools in Randolph, Nebraska, under the direction of

Dennis Bazata and Dr. Marvin Hoskey. He completed his degree in May of 1999 with

the honor of cum laude.

 After the completion of his B.S. degree, Curtis accepted a position as an

agricultural instructor at Laurel-Concord Public Schools in Laurel, Nebraska. There he

started an agricultural education program after a sixty year absence of high school

agricultural instruction of any form. After four years, the program had won national

awards, but more importantly had created opportunities for high school students to

become successful.

 In June, 2003, Curtis accepted a graduate student assistantship in the Department

of Agricultural Education and Communication at the University of Florida to obtain a

Doctor of Philosophy degree. The degree includes specializations in teaching and

learning, leadership and volunteer development, and a minor in food and resource

economics. His work at the University of Florida included serving as a co-instructor of