FFA adviser wins Golden Owl Award

WOLCOTT, Ind. — Travis Scherer, FFA adviser at Tri-County FFA Chapter, has been teaching for 21 years.

Every day is different, and that’s what he likes about teaching agriculture.

Last year he was honored with the Golden Owl Award, sponsored by Nationwide and Farm Credit Mid-America.

He shared his journey with AgriNews.

Q: How did 4-H and FFA impact your life?

A: I would say 4-H and FFA impacted my life a great deal. My two biggest mentors in life are my ag teachers, Louis Whistler and Dale Butcher at Benton Central. My 4-H club leaders had an impact on my life.

The overall 4-H experience and all the opportunities FFA provides when you grow up in rural Indiana are impactful. I got to go to Costa Rica, Denver and a national convention in Kansas City. It was an opportunity to see places outside of northwest Indiana.

Q: What do you enjoy about teaching?

A: I enjoy that it’s something different every day. Ag teachers don’t teach out of a text book. Agriculture is changing, so we’re always changing. We’re teaching a variety of subjects.

Today, I went from wood construction to hydroelectric power to aquaponics to sensory evaluation in foods. That’s just the day of an ag teacher.

Q: Does your school have a garden or greenhouse?

A: Yes, we have a greenhouse, as well as fish tanks. We have a hydroponics system, school garden and farm plot. We also do landscaping around the school.

Q: What activities do you enjoy doing with students?

A: Anytime you get the opportunity to travel with students, like to National FFA Convention, those are always great learning opportunities. It gets kids out of the classroom and builds life skills.

Q: Tell me about the Golden Owl award.

A: Last year, ag teachers were nominated for the award. My teacher partner and I were both selected as the top eight finalists. We turned in an application and were selected by a panel of evaluators. I was fortunate enough to be a recipient. It was a humbling honor.

Q: Do you think ag education is important. If so, why?

A: I think agriculture education is super important for students. We’re more and more disengaged from the food process. And there’s so much misinformation out there. General ag literacy is important.

I think FFA and ag education provides something that’s limited in our school settings right now. Getting kids those hands on skills and opportunities.

Q: What are some advantages of a well-rounded ag education?

A: In some career fields, you have to be very specific. With agriculture, it still provides you some flexibility. In the ag field, you might have someone in ag communications that ends up going into agronomy. That industry flexibility, we still need that. I think ag education and FFA provides that and keeps kids well-rounded.

Q: Do you have any advice to students considering joining FFA or 4-H?

A: I would say give it a try. But also give it time. I think sometimes we want a quick payoff when we join an organization. But give it time. It’s OK to try a lot of different things. Your first 4-H project you do might not be something you enjoy.

That’s why there’s so many options in 4-H now, from animals to building projects, to STEM. If you have an idea, 4-H has you covered. The key is to get on the bus. Start participating. You’ll eventually find what you’re looking for.

Q: What does the future of agriculture look like to you?

A: I think the most exciting thing about the future of ag is how we really don’t know what that future is going to look like. So, we’re working so hard at being prepared for it.

We don’t know what will happen, but we’re positioning ourselves to be ready — for automation, artificial intelligence and others.

Q: Any final thoughts?

A: Working in the public school system and being an ag teacher is an awarding career. It’s a changing career. Every day is different. But you get the opportunity to do things you feel like make a difference. I think there’s value to that.