A Early Career Perspective

AN AGRICULTURE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS MENTOR PROGRAM INTERVIEW

MENTEE: ASHLEY PIERCE, COAHOMA HIGH SCHOOL AGRICULTURE SCIENCE TEACHER MENTOR: STEVE FORSYTHE, RETIRED HIGH SCHOOL AGRICULTURE SCIENCE TEACHER

What made you decide to teach ag?

I had an amazing experience in high school, I had a few amazing teachers who each taught me something different relating to this profession. One taught me the value of balancing work and home, instilling that at the end of the day, home will always be there and don’t take it for granted. Another taught me being a mother, wife, daughter, and ag teacher are all possible, you don’t have to choose just one or two. And another taught me the ropes of how to train and lead a team and how to develop a curriculum that works for all students in the classroom which really sparked my fire. Creating ways in which students learn using their hands and learn things they can actively see pertain to the real world, changes their perspective immensely. All of those things combined helped mold me into the person I am today and knowing how much impact they made in my life, made me want to do the same for someone else.

Why do you believe ag kids came together and had education is so important? solid and valuable input was I believe ag education is we are at 99% completion, now important because it allows all we need are plants! students to get hands on with things that will impact them in What has been your favorite the years to come. It follows FFA memory so far? the same principle of give a man a fish, he will eat for a I have had a few favorite day; but teach him to fish and memories so far this year, but I he will eat for a lifetime. If we would have to say the memory teach students where their that comes in first would be food comes from, what goes when we found out the day of into producing their food, and our district contest, one of our how to grow their own food team members who was on and fiber, we have taught them two teams had broken his leg something valuable they can the night before at the playoff take and apply or even advocate football game and was unable to for. While everyone’s role is make it to the district contest. different, if we are all educated The three girls who were on his on the subject, we can hold an classify as plastic at one time, teams stepped up the morning informed discussion rather than it does not mean it cannot be of the contest and split his lines yelling across the table at one reclassified as glass at another and reworked movements to another. time. make everything flow, so they What is one thing you wish What has been your favorite advance to the area contest you had been told before classroom memory so far? making it to where he would you started this year? have a chance to compete. I am My favorite classroom memory proud to report those girls pulled While this is my second for this year would have to be it off in not just one contest but year teaching, one thing has combining classes with the shop both and all four of them will resonated with me time and teacher to build a greenhouse compete at the area contest time again and it came from for the ag department from the together. To have students Nora Roberts. When trying to ground up. We had five short work as hard as they did that balance FFA duties, classroom days to draw up plans and morning, without faulting or teaching, and homelife, I have have all materials on campus worrying, really spoke volumes to realize I am juggling. The key and neither of us teachers had to their character and I could to juggling is knowing which much experience in building not be more proud to be their balls in the air are glass and structures. The way all of our ag teacher. which ones are plastic. If you drop a plastic ball, it bounces and no harm is done. If you drop a glass ball, it shatters. You have to prioritize to catch the glass ones. The balls we are juggling are not just the broad categories of teaching and homelife, they can be broken down into smaller pieces such as cutting out 100 pig heads for your ear notching lesson tomorrow and being present for your significant others birthday dinner. While one thing may amazing, I am proud to say that could compete and hopefully

AG TEACHER SPOTLIGHT GARY GRAHAM GRAPELAND HIGH SCHOOL TENURE: 44 YEARS

WHY DO YOU TEACH AG?

I have always been involved in agriculture. I grew up on a small cattle ranch and farm, and during high school and college, we truck farmed watermelons. I have also done custom hay baling for many years. Students in ag classes are, for the most part, there because they chose to be there and are interested in the class which makes it more enjoyable for everyone. We must encourage our young people to pursue careers in agriculture. Our population continues to grow and the number of acres for agriculture keeps getting smaller. We need bright young people to discover ways to feed this growing population.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FFA MEMORY?

After 44 years there are a lot of good memories; contests, conventions, stock shows, the list goes on. My son and daughter in law teach ag in Onalaska, which is in our district, so we compete against each other, as well as work with each other, which I love. The most special memory was a young lady that was an officer in our chapter and very active in FFA. She went on to graduate from SHSU with a degree in agriculture. When it came time for her wedding, she asked me to walk her down the aisle and give her away. That was very special to me and I was truly honored; a memory I will always treasure.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FFA MEMORY?

We have been fortunate enough to win the National Invitational Quiz contest, place Reserve National Champion in the Land CDE and compete at nationals several times. The smiles and excitement from those students after all the work it takes to compete at that level is something I'll always remember. Anytime students are successful in the classroom is special. I love the smiles from the satisfaction of success and accomplishment.

WHY DO YOU BELIEVE THAT AG EDUCATION IS SO IMPORTANT?

I believe we must get young people motivated to pursue a career in agriculture in order to have farmers and ranchers to produce food and fiber for everyone else. 8