NASBLA names Aaron Meier the 2020 National Boating Educator of the Year
*This is a transcript of the "NASBLA recognizes the 2020 National Educator of the Year " video from the virtual recognition ceremony on Monday, November 9th, 2020.
DARREN RIDER:
Hello everyone! Thank you for joining us. Since the 2020 NASBLA Annual Conference was held virtually this year, we were unable to recognize all of the award winners.
Today, we are meeting virtually again to recognize and show our appreciation to one of our 2020 NASBLA award winners!
Numerous individuals and organizations assist NASBLA in various ways throughout the year. To show our appreciation for this invaluable assistance, NASBLA identifies outstanding individuals and groups for their contributions to recreational boating safety through its awards program.
Generously sponsored by Fresh Air Educators and Kalkomey, the Pamela S. Dillon Educator of the Year Award was launched by NASBLA in 2011 to recognize those who go above and beyond to engage students and boaters, raise awareness, and make boating education initiatives relevant, thorough and exciting.
The 2020 Western Region Boating Educator of the Year and, woohoo, the National Boating Educator of the Year award winner is Aaron Meier with the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW).
Since taking over the boating education program, Meier has completely changed the way that the state of Nevada promotes boating safety and education. Meier was aware of the financial difficulties associated with advertising and promotion in entertainment cities such as Las Vegas and Reno. For this reason, Meier has refocused NDOW’s efforts into almost entirely digital campaigns and connected television, such as streaming on Hulu, Sling and Amazon Prime.
Meier’s efforts led to a 13% increase in the number of boater education certificates awarded in 2019. Over the past two years, Nevada has seen an incredible 33% increase in the number of boater education certificates awarded to recreational boaters. This is a sizeable increase in the Department’s reach and boater education impact.
On the media front, Meier helps to promote boating safety through local media contacts, press releases and social media posts. Meier also hosts boating safety media days on both Lake Mead and Lake Tahoe. These events are extremely well-attended by local media outlets. Additionally, Meier and his staff are featured in dozens of television and radio interviews, as well as interviews for various podcasts, promoting safe boating throughout the spring and summer months.
Nevada’s boater education program is in its current state of excellence due to Aaron Meier’s consistent efforts and dedication to boating safety. He is constantly looking for new ways to expand and improve the education program and goes above and beyond in his daily efforts. Meier is truly an incredible asset to the Nevada Department of Wildlife and we look forward to what he will continue to do for the recreational boating community. Congratulations Aaron Meier!
I would now like to give Captain Brian Bowles the opportunity to say a few words…
BRIAN BOWLES:
Thank you, Darren.
I just wanted to remark that, in my short time here as the BLA for Nevada and Game Warden Captain with the Nevada Department of Wildlife, when I came on board, Aaron Meier became one of my first staff on board here at the Nevada Department of Wildlife.
He had the unenviable position of having to train his new boss what it is that we do here at NDOW. And I must say that from the first day that I came to work here at the Nevada Department of Wildlife, Aaron tackled that job with humor, humility and a great deal of intelligence and drive.
As I've worked here at NDOW and had the privilege of having Aaron on my staff and, as my friend, he has demonstrated that he is truly what makes Nevada boating education go, in the State of Nevada.
We have a motto here at NDOW that is illustrative of how we come to work every day and cooperate to get the mission done, and that's called One NDOW. And I think that nobody in the building truly exemplifies that motto here in Nevada of, One NDOW, than Aaron Meier.
He is consistently on the forefront of leading the effort to educate boaters in the State. But, he always helps out all the other divisions here within the Nevada Department of Wildlife, with their efforts towards education, whether it be in the boating realm or in the greater realm of wildlife conservation.
Aaron’s truly an asset to the State and provides an example for everyone here, that is one of the true excellence, and often with a little bit of humor on the side.
So, thanks for the opportunity to say a few words, Darren.
DARREN RIDER:
Great, thanks, Captain Bowles. Now, Aaron, if you want to provide a few words, now's your time.
AARON MEIER:
Yeah, if I'm being honest, when I read the descriptions of the other two gentlemen, Richard Werner and Sergeant Stoop, I just assumed I was going to finish third because they had done some pretty impressive things. So I was very blown away when you announced my name. And, as you can see, that’s an amazing trophy! Plus, nobody told me that it comes with your own cartoon, which Captain Bowles was nice enough to copy and tape to my office door so that all the people that I work with can see my cartoon animation.
Same as I said at the virtual conference - if I'm successful at this job, it is just because of all the people that are around me. And I've been super fortunate that I replaced Ed Lyngar. He was a previous National Boating Educator of the Year and still lived in Reno, so he's been accessible to me the entire time and super helpful. And Zac Campbell, who was Boating Educator of the Year from Kentucky, also works with the Department of Wildlife, and he's been an invaluable resource. Nick Duhe, my counterpart in Las Vegas, same thing. I've got all these all-stars around me helping me look good.
Then, I went to NASBLA and I meet Susan Stocker, Tim Spice, Pam Dillon, Kim Jackson, Josh Hoffman, Stacy Brown and Melissa Miranda. I'm surrounded by these are amazing people that, every time I call them and say, ‘I don't understand’ or ‘how do you do this’, they would help me out. So, I am successful because I had all these crazy-talented people around me.
So, I appreciate the award. I'll keep trying to do better, but my thanks goes to everybody that helped me get here.
The only other thing I would say is, when I took the job, they didn't mention that when someone drowns in Nevada, I get the privilege of sitting in on that meeting, when the Game Wardens go over the case to our Chief. And I'm not from law enforcement, so the first five or six times I sat in on those, and heard that they were almost always preventable, it gets you motivated to do the best you can. So, even though I'll never know if I've got somebody to wear a life jacket, I just hate hearing those stories. And my goal in life is to sit in on as few of those meetings as I can, and if I can do anything to help that, then so be it. But, I'm super happy to have this award and I really appreciate it.
DARREN RIDER:
Thanks, Aaron.
I did learn, so I was kind of uncomfortable, but I see that both of you all said ‘Nevada’. So me, being from Tennessee, I didn’t know if that was right. But more importantly, I like NDOW, I can say that a little better – NDOW! I like that.
AARON MEIER:
Oh yeah, somewhere around Texas is goes from Nev-AD-a to Nev-AH-da. And, if you live in Nevada, you’re the only one that hears it, and it drives you crazy.
DARREN RIDER:
I figured, I didn’t want to mess that up.
So, again, NASBLA would like to personally thank you, Aaron Meier, for your passion and dedication to educating boaters throughout the state of Nevada. Meier’s efforts to extend the educational reach and impact of NDOW’s boater education program does not go unnoticed. Thank you for everything that you do throughout the year! Congratulations Aaron!
AARON MEIER:
Thank you, sir.
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Watch the full NASBLA National Educator of the Year recognition video on NASBLA's Vimeo channel!