Future Farmers of America Thriving in Fair Grove

FFA stands for Future Farmers of America and is a youth organization in the United States, it was founded in 1928 and is a huge part of Fair Grove. 

FFA aims to prepare students for careers in the agriculture industry through various programs, Fair Grove has two FFA instructors. Mr. Crutcher, one of the two in Fair Grove, is not new to the town and he doesn’t plan on leaving anytime soon, “I’ve been teaching for 25 years, 23 at Fair Grove. I’ll continue for at least 4 more years and evaluate where I’m at in life.” 

“I am only in year four and plan on putting in another 21 or more,” explained Mr. Johnston, the other FFA instructor. Even though Johnston is newer to the town, he doesn’t plan on packing up anytime soon either. “I would like to spend my career as a teacher here at Fair Grove. I have heard a lot of Ag teachers talking about teaching until they do not love it anymore and I do not know if I will ever not love my job,” Mr. Johnson said. 

In order to be a part of FFA students must be in an Ag class, Mr. Johnston explained the reasoning behind this, “Ag education and the FFA go hand in hand, and it is where my passion in life is. I know from my own experiences growing up in a family who made most of their living off of some aspect of agriculture.” 

This does not limit students opportunities because of the broadness of the program. “My favorite thing about teaching Ag/FFA is that it’s so diversified. The subject matter varies between animal science, plant science, mechanics, and everything in between,” Mr. Crutcher said

With this year coming to an end, a handful of seniors are leaving big shoes to fill with their accomplishments they have made within the FFA program at Fair Grove. Mr. Johnston recalled, “Hannah Morris, Taylor Rode, and Brett Sartin were seniors this year, and with the help of Lucas Crutcher (a former Fair Grove graduate),  won a livestock judging state championship.” This group also finished 7th at Nationals, which is the highest placing in Fair Grove history. 

It was not only the accomplishments of this group that made them special, it was also their dedication to the program. “They put in several years of work attending camps in the summer and a lot of Practice time with me. Those 3 seniors will forever be some of the top students in my mind that I will have the opportunity to have taught,” said Mr .Johnston. 

FFA will be experiencing new leadership next year with these seniors leaving, and will continue to compete throughout next school year.