EFE said:

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"retired" ag teacher here

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I remember asking this exact same question on this exact same message board years ago.

I made a damn good friend.

Now he's a "retired" ag teacher, but he's still a damn good friend.

I hope this OP gets the info he needs.

Us old Ag teachers never die, we just get sifted out of the judgement ring.

John Cocktolstoy said:

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Long story short, I am trying my best to be a great dad, a good supporter of the program, and possibly start helping the program get better at raising funds on the student and booster side. I just can't get anything to stick and figured I could get better ideas from the horses mouth. The older Ag teacher the better I think. Just a different time and ethics to work with. I don't want to belittle anyone that's not what this is about, it's fact finding so I can make a change in this program.

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You are on the right track already - FFA is a great program and has so much to offer, but you already know that. Programs vary from school to school and often reflect the personality of long time ag teachers or the instability of constant turnover, and everything in between. Some teachers resist parent support, some welcome it, some parents are great assets to the chapter, some can really wreck shop and should just stay away. I am certain that my kids ag teachers would say that at times my friends and I were both; but last night a couple of us were back up there at the school critiquing LDE teams for Area contest (our kids adults now), so I guess it wasn't all bad.

Your OP was very reminiscent of where I was 12 years ago. I started this thread because I wanted to know what it took to get a kid into the Job Interview LDE and found the info I was looking for. EFE came in offline and gave me some great advice. He was at another school in the same Area, so I kindly offered to let him keep walking... but he cared not and was always a great sounding board; encouraging my kids all the way. I did not forget to remind him of that when my son hung the Job Interview State Winner banner in his classroom.

Good luck to you and y'all's program. This world would be a better place with more FFA members.

Centerpole90 said:

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John Cocktolstoy said:

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Long story short, I am trying my best to be a great dad, a good supporter of the program, and possibly start helping the program get better at raising funds on the student and booster side. I just can't get anything to stick and figured I could get better ideas from the horses mouth. The older Ag teacher the better I think. Just a different time and ethics to work with. I don't want to belittle anyone that's not what this is about, it's fact finding so I can make a change in this program.

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You are on the right track already - FFA is a great program and has so much to offer, but you already know that. Programs vary from school to school and often reflect the personality of long time ag teachers or the instability of constant turnover, and everything in between. Some teachers resist parent support, some welcome it, some parents are great assets to the chapter, some can really wreck shop and should just stay away. I am certain that my kids ag teachers would say that at times my friends and I were both; but last night a couple of us were back up there at the school critiquing LDE teams for Area contest (our kids adults now), so I guess it wasn't all bad.

Your OP was very reminiscent of where I was 12 years ago. I started this thread because I wanted to know what it took to get a kid into the Job Interview LDE and found the info I was looking for. EFE came in offline and gave me some great advice. He was at another school in the same Area, so I kindly offered to let him keep walking... but he cared not and was always a great sounding board; encouraging my kids all the way. I did not forget to remind him of that when my son hung the Job Interview State Winner banner in his classroom.

Good luck to you and y'all's program. This world would be a better place with more FFA members.

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You are absolutely correct. My son has done a good job finding his way in FFA. But it could not have happened without some great Ag teachers who are no longer there. Even though my son is graduating I feel the need to make this chapter something for the next kid who really needs it. Posts here are spot on and I am jotting things down as I read.