The Fair Grove FTA (Future Teachers of America) Club does many things for our school. They participate in Grandparent’s Day, Teacher Appreciation Week in May, and Teacher of the Month. The first Wednesday of every month, the high school has a club day during school. During club day, all of the clubs in the high school meet to discuss current events that are happening in the club. “Each month during club day, FTA members meet and list strengths and job responsibilities of teachers who teach the same subject. Then, the members receive a ballot and they vote on the teacher who they think should receive recognition,” said Nikki Kisling, a co-sponsor of the club.

The February Teacher of the Month is Matt Crutcher. Mr. Crutcher has been teaching a variety of elective classes for 19 years at Fair Grove. He teaches all sorts of agriculture classes ranging from 8th grade to 12th grade. Crutcher said that his favorite part about teaching at Fair Grove is that he laughs really hard at least once a day.

When a teacher is picked for Teacher of the Month, the FTA club decorates their door and provides them with cupcakes the day that they are picked. Crutcher says, “I have eaten so many cookies and snacks that I am gonna have a tummy ache.”

How they decorate the door is usually related to the subject that the Teacher of the Month teaches. Mr. Crutcher’s door is decorated with a picture of him holding a spatula, because he is known for having many cookouts with the agriculture department.

The FTA puts time into doing things for the teacher of the month outside of club day. They stay after school and use their free time to devote to teachers. Crutcher said that if he could say one thing to FTA for picking him it would be, “Thanks a bunch for recognizing our teachers.”

FTA’s goal for picking a teacher of the month is to remind the teachers that their students recognize and appreciate all of the effort it takes to be a teacher, and a role model to every future-teacher. The next club day is March 6th. This will be when FTA will get together again and vote on a new Teacher of the Month for March.