Back to School
NICE marks 75th anniversary with return to
campus as co-op youth education program
By Jim Wadsworth
Program Leader, Co-op Education
and Member Relations
Craig Scroggs
Co-op Development Specialist, Ga.
USDA Rural Development
ack to school was
the order of the day
for the diamond
anniversary of the National
Institute of Cooperative Education
(NICE), held on the campus
of Virginia Polytechnic
Institute and State University
(VaTech) in Blacksburg, Va.,
July 27-30. This marked the
first time since 1986 that the
conference was held on a
college campus. Colleges
were the traditional settings
before the mid-1980s for
the event, which has roots
that stretch back to the 1920s.
Eighty youth scholars from
Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, North
Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Dakota,
Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin
attended this unique national educational
forum that focused on the
theme: “Cooperatives: A Gem of a
Deal.”
Dixie Watts Reaves, professor of
agricultural economics at VaTech,
played the key role in getting NICE
up and running again after it was
discontinued last year as a much
larger conference that catered to
youth, young farmers, directors,
educators and others. The objective
was to ensure that the traditional
youth development component of
NICE would continue.
Given the tremendous amount
of enthusiasm exhibited by the
youth scholars and rave reviews of all
involved, it is clear that there remains
a strong need for a NICE youth
conference.
Running the store
Danny Adams of Southern States
Cooperative discussed farm store business
concepts and led the students
through a cooperative business simulation
exercise. Students in nine teams
used their newly acquired business acumen
for setting margins and sales
goals, controlling inventory and analyzing
financial data to direct their
cooperative stores toward improved
performance. The teams made a series
of four decisions, each involving 38
variables.
Winning teams in each of the three
market areas were crowned, based
upon their stores’ increased net worth.
By the end of the simulation, the
teams had learned a great deal about
managing and directing a co-op farm
supply store.
Student teams also formed their
own purchasing cooperatives, which
they operated throughout the institute.
They developed business plans,
selected goods to sell or services to
perform, set prices and marketed
their goods or services to each other.
T-shirts, water, candy, soda, visors
and various other goods were offered.
Each student cooperative that earned
a profit then contributed that money
to a scholarship fund for the 2004
NICE.
The teams competed in assessing
and analyzing two cooperative case
studies where the students were
required to effectively identify the
problems with the cases, propose possible
solutions and consequences, then
choose the best solution. The competition
was close and the judging tight.
Lionel Williamson and Patsy Whitehead
of the Kentucky Council of
Cooperatives scored the cases. The
winners of each case study delivered
and defended their solutions to all the
teams, resulting in vigorous debate
and further enriching the learning
experience.
NICE participants took a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) survey
(to assess personality traits) before the
institute. Judith Jones of VaTech discussed
uses of the MBTI, handed out
individual results and did some aggregate
assessments of the group.
Institute participants toured a
Southern States Cooperative regional
warehouse, attended a southernstyle
barbeque dinner in Longwood
Park in Salem, Va., and attended a
baseball game in the crisp mountain
air at the picturesque Salem
Avalanche ballpark.
Working together
Team-building challenge activities
were interwoven throughout the program,
with students organized in various
groups to learn the benefits of
mutual cooperation and trust. The level
of spirit generated by these activities
enhanced camaraderie and relationships
among students.
A cooperative education and
employment opportunities session was
added to the institute. Students
got an overview of job opportunities
in cooperatives and
were advised of what to expect
when reaching college and
confronting the challenges of
selecting and pursuing minor
and major courses of study.
A formal banquet on the
final evening of the institute
gave students an opportunity
to dress up and socialize, take
group pictures, perform a skit and
receive recognition for individual
achievements. An institute video presentation
capturing students involved
in different activities during the week
generated laughs. Following the
banquet, a dance and karaoke party
was held.
After a cooperative history and
governing principles lesson, students
acted out the development and founding
of the first consumer cooperative,
started by a group of weavers in
Rochdale, England in 1844. This
provided students with a unique
perspective of the discussions and
cooperation required to form a cooperative
business.
The competition to be named an
“outstanding youth scholar”
advanced through a series of interviews
conducted throughout the
institute in front of a panel of adult
leaders. The winners, announced at
the banquet, were: Janice Keeley of
Oregon and Adam Wolking of
Kansas. Runners-up were: Lori
Andrews of Arkansas and Daniel
Nead of North Carolina.
A number of sponsors helped
make the 75th anniversary of NICE a
reality. Students expressed their
appreciation with displays of banners
and announcements.
The future of NICE
The fun and enthusiastic learning reflected at this diamond anniversary of
NICE provided a strong foundation for continuation of the program. Adult leadersdiscussed committing to future plans to further advance the quest of educating America’s youth on cooperatives on a national level. It was clear that developing even greater participation and increasing energy toward future
strong national institutes is a reality well within reach.
The return to campus for this year’s NICE proved to be an ideal setting for
this event, now streamlined as a youth education program.
In the last issue of this magazine (see commentary on page 2, July/August
2003 issue) James Haskell, acting deputy administrator for USDA/RBS, said
“The need for cooperative education is greater today than at any time in memory.” Programs such as this must continue.
Just as with various other educational programs around the country, this
year’s NICE proved that some seeds of cooperative education remain firmly
planted. With care and focus, they can continue to grow.
