PAF Safety Coordinator Spotlight: Mark Cournoyer
For years, one Wisconsin educator has helped make safety more than a lesson plan. In Auburndale, Wisconsin, Mark Cournoyer has built a hands-on, community-driven safety program that has reached generations of youth and evolved to meet local needs. What began as a school-based event has grown into an experience rooted in agriculture, student leadership, and practical safety skills.
Mark first connected with Progressive Agriculture Foundation® (PAF) after attending a National FFA Convention and saw an opportunity to enhance a program he was already offering and provide meaningful experiences back to his students.
What started in a school parking lot has grown into a tradition that now reaches local fourth and fifth-grade students through hands-on learning at a dairy farm. While in September 2026, Mark will celebrate five years as a PAF Coordinator, his local program has been educating local youth for 26 years.
One of the greatest strengths of the program, according to Mark, is creating opportunities for students to lead. “This program allows me as a teacher to delegate rather than be the creator. High school students can apply the lessons to their talents and create meaningful presentations for 10–15-minute sessions.”
Rather than creating every lesson from scratch, Mark uses the flexibility of the curriculum to encourage student ownership and adapt content to local needs. “Student creativity was cultivated through the PAF library of lessons.”
That flexibility is one reason the program has remained impactful year after year. “Every community is different; every program is different. PAF provides that autonomous ability to fit the curriculum to our community’s needs.”
For Mark, the impact of a Progressive Agriculture Safety Day extends beyond activities and demonstrations. “It was easy to get the students to buy into the curriculum as it was easy to follow, customize, and build as part of a safety lesson.” It’s about creating habits and mindsets that remain long after students leave the farm. “You provide a great curriculum and support to our program.”
After more than two decades of investing in youth safety education, Mark’s work continues to demonstrate what can happen when schools, communities, and local partners come together around one shared goal: helping children build skills and confidence that last a lifetime.