Teachers

Between the chartering of new FFA chapters, celebrations of FFA Week, announcements of District Golden Owl Award recipients, convention preparation and chapter banquets, February brought many blessings.

Eight agriculture teachers have been named finalists for the Golden Owl Award — sponsored by Farm Credit Mid-America and Nationwide.

Avery Isringhausen knows firsthand how the connections made at the WIU Ag Mech Club Farm Expo can be helpful.

Trenton Taber, a 2015 graduate of Western Illinois University’s Agriculture Education program, has been named the Region 4 Outstanding Agriculture Teacher by the National Association of Agricultural Educator.

The Purdue University College of Agriculture presented the 2024 Frederick L. Hovde Award of Excellence in Educational Service to Rural People of Indiana to Jay Akridge, professor of agricultural economics.

Two central Illinois agriculture teachers already had plenty on their plates as they watched and listened to the news.

Indiana Pork has donated 50 gift cards valued at $100 each to teachers across the state.

Indiana Farm Bureau announced “Right This Very Minute: A Table-to-Farm Book About Food and Farming” as the 2025 INFB Book of the Year.

The 2025 Indiana Farm Bureau Book of the Year educates children where the food they eat daily comes from in an informative and fun way.

A program designed to teach elementary students about agriculture and connections to the Spanish culture earned the Cambridge FFA Chapter a national award at the 97th National FFA Convention & Expo.

Four new Illinois agriculture education teachers were recently recognized by the IAA Foundation as recipients of an Illinois Agricultural Education Teacher Grant.

Beef production spans generations in the Hanson and Kuipers family in Iroquois County where they operate a forage-based program utilizing a paddock grazing system along with growing corn, soybeans and wheat.

When Doug Hanson returned to his home county to teach high school agriculture in 2001, he saw a trend in the local economy and wanted to try to make a difference.

Agriculture educators play a crucial role within their communities by investing countless hours to prepare and empower students for successful careers in the industry.

As a father and now a grandfather, one of the most bittersweet moments is watching your kids and grandkids climb onto the bus for the first day of school each year.

Richard Lyons of Harvel is the recipient of the 2024 Illinois Leopold Conservation Award.

For Du Quoin native Luke Davison, being named manager of the Du Quoin State Fair was like coming home again.

The Illinois Agri-Women organization has awarded five scholarships for students studying agriculture.

Bill Harmon, professor of agronomy at Lincoln Land Community College, received the Golden Owl award for postsecondary instructors at the Illinois Association of Vocational Agriculture Instructors Conference in Carbondale.

Teens from around the state gathered for the 95th Indiana FFA State Convention, where they took part in workshops, volunteered and were honored for their accomplishments.

Oregon High School students didn’t just learn framing and roofing in their ag construction class — they also learned about giving back and how hunger might be living right next door.

Five district winners for the Star in Agribusiness award will be honored on the stage of the Illinois FFA State Convention.

It has become customary this time of year for me to offer up some advice in this column with soon-to-be-newly-minted high school and college graduates.

State FFA President Thaddeus Bergschnider, Vice President Eric Wisley, Reporter Cooper Nelson, Secretary Riley Kessler and Treasurer Benjamin Bremmer are nine months through their year as state officers.

Like many of you, I was a member of FFA in high school and then a member of collegiate FFA. The heart and soul of National FFA is the local chapter. That is where it all begins.

Illinois Ag in the Classroom 2024 Teacher of the Year Amanda Stanko was recently named as a National Excellence in Teaching About Agriculture Award winner.

Purdue University’s Agricultural Alumni Association presented six agricultural leaders with its Certificate of Distinction at the association’s annual Fish Fry.

It has taken a village, actually a city, and many months, but the effort to bring back agriculture education to Dixon High School is nearing completion.

One of the best jobs I ever had was at Scott County Nursing Center when I was a senior at Winchester High School. Through the co-op class, I went to school the first half of the day and worked in the office at the nursing center the second half.

Working with the goat herd at Hummel Livestock has resulted in Chase Hummel winning the National FFA agricultural proficiency award in the area of goat production — entrepreneurship/placement.

Ted Mottaz was fresh out of college and all set for a career in agriculture education, but Uncle Sam had other ideas.

Illinois high school football teams have entered the final weeks of playoffs, but one team already has a championship title.

Working toward becoming the American Star Farmer is a goal Tanner Mickey set to achieve when he joined FFA and now he is one of four members who are finalists for this prestigious award.

The work that Lance Moritz has invested in his family farm has resulted in national recognition as a finalist for the American Star in Agricultural Placement achievement award.

The Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom program has named Amanda Stanko, a STEM and preschool teacher with Corpus Christi Catholic School in Bloomington, as the 2024 IAITC Teacher of the Year.

Four beginning Illinois agriculture education teachers were recently recognized by the IAA Foundation with Illinois Agricultural Education Teacher Grants for their efforts during their first year in the field.

Illinois Agri-Women has awarded five scholarships for females studying agriculture. One $1,500 IAW Helen Henert Agriculture Education Scholarship has been awarded to Mallory Ames, an agriculture education major.

In the Night Shift program at Four Rivers Career Center, Dan Brinkmann is teaching young people more than nuts and bolts and crankshafts and carburetors.

In some of the students who join the after-school Night Shift program at Four Rivers Career Center, auto tech instructor and Night Shift founder Dan Brinkmann sees himself.

Lincoln Land Community College dedicated its newest learning space, 2.1 acres of land at 2320 West Lake Shore Drive, now known as West Lake Nature Grove.

Dean Blackford didn’t want to spend his retirement time sitting around, as he put it, twiddling his thumbs with nothing to do. He took up a hobby 15 years ago so he’d be ready for idle time when it came.

Duane Huge, an agricultural teacher at Danville Community High School, received Indiana’s Golden Owl Award and was named Ag Educator of the Year at the Indiana FFA Convention.

A Western Illinois University distinguished alumnus has made an equipment donation to the WIU School of Agriculture, which will help students with the use of technology in the field.

Years of working on FFA projects resulted in four FFA members selected as Star winners during 95th annual Illinois Association FFA State Convention.

Petrus Langenhoven attended high school at a boarding school located on a 1,000-acre farm in South Africa.

Helena Agri-Enterprises is awarding Libby Larkin of Pontiac, Illinois, with the Homegrown Scholarship worth $1,000 to pursue a higher education in agriculture.

The dairy checkoff is bringing a new approach to building trust with young Americans by helping high school curriculum writers across the country incorporate accurate science behind dairy farming.

A friend of mine is wrapping up not only the school year, but a quarter-century career as an ag teacher at a high school in a county with a population of 21,379.

Emilie Carson always knew she wanted a career in agriculture. Her journey in 4-H and FFA led her to her dream job — an agricultural educator at Hamilton Heights.

With 23 years under his belt as a teacher of agriculture at John Wood Community College, Mike Tenhouse is looking toward the future.