PAF Safety Coordinator Spotlight: Paula Lucas

For Paula Lucas, bringing a Progressive Agriculture Foundation Safety Day to Crawford County began with a simple idea: give local children practical knowledge that can help keep them safe in the situations they encounter every day. Paula was first introduced to the program by coworkers who were already involved, but attending a workshop about PAF at the National 4-H Educators Conference inspired her to take the next step and bring a Safety Day to her own community.

Since then, Paula and her team have completed two PAF Safety Days, reaching approximately 500 children each year. She says the goal is to help children in Crawford County feel better prepared for the situations they may encounter in their rural communities. To Paula, the impact goes beyond the event itself because each participant leaves with knowledge they can use personally and share with others. “It means we have around 500 kids a year better equipped in our community to stay safe and help teach others to stay safe,” she shared.

Those lessons are already making an impression. When students were asked about the most important things they learned during Safety Day, responses such as “following safety guidelines even after you feel comfortable” and “protect your bodies” stood out to Paula. Those takeaways reflect what she hopes the program accomplishes: helping young people recognize hazards, make safer choices, and understand that safety remains important even when an activity or environment feels familiar.

For Paula, partnering with the Progressive Agriculture Foundation strengthens that education. She values having access to established lesson plans, resources, and ongoing support rather than having to build a program entirely from scratch. She also values being part of a nationwide network working toward the same goal. According to Paula, the Safety Day curriculum aligns “spot on” with her organization’s mission and requirements, while PAF's support and guidance help her team bring the program to life locally.

After two Safety Days, Paula remains enthusiastic about continuing the partnership and encourages others and organizations to get involved. Her advice is simple: “Go for it and you won’t regret it!” She describes partnering with PAF each year as an amazing opportunity and says her team is honored to be part of the program and bring meaningful safety education to children throughout Crawford County.