By Robyn Hoffman
Oklahoma Living September 2006
Reprinted with permission

Don’t think for a minute that agricultural education is just about farming.That assumption couldn’t be farther from the truth.

“It’s much broader than just food production,” Kent Boggs said. “We’ve diversified and are giving kids great opportunities in agricultural education. It’s more than farming and learning about where your food comes from.”

Boggs should know. He has helped change the face of agricultural education in Oklahoma’s high schools during his 18 years of professional involvement as a teacher and now state FFA executive secretary. He says the educational experience gained in agricultural classes is unlike any other classroom experience. “They get a hands-on education in ag,” Boggs said. “There are so many different areas that they can learn and excel in through agricultural education and FFA. It’s no longer just about food production.”

Today’s ag-ed students are learning about everything from horticulture and natural resources to ag communications and forestry. Boggs said there are 300 different career options in agriculture and high school ag programs are preparing students for a lot of those careers.

“Ag is a huge industry,” Boggs said. “There are great opportunities.”

The diversity in ag-ed and the wide range of classes has not always been an option for students. Ag-ed focused more on just traditional farming until the late 1980s when high school programs began to diversify because of a significant drop in enrollment nationwide. The curriculum changed to include horticulture and a long list of other areas.

“That made a significant difference,” Boggs said. “Enrollment in ag classes has grown tremendously since then.”

With the diversification came a name change for FFA, the organization for ag-ed student. In the beginning, it was recognized as Future Farmers of America nationwide but is now simply FFA.

“We’re making sure the image projects that we are more than just farming,” Boggs said. “We want growth to continue.”

Laverne ag-ed teacher Brad Ashpaugh is no stranger to growth. Enrollment in ag-ed classes at his school has more than doubled over the past three years. He said it’s because students get something out of ag-ed classes that they can’t get anywhere else.

“You can sit in a math classroom all day and try to figure out the angle of something,” Ashpaugh said. “But in ag-ed you can go out and weld and learn about finding angles that way. Ag-ed touches on a lot of disciplines and is more hands-on than some of the other classes.

“I think ag-ed teaches hands-on science, math and even some English. It’s more real-life situations for students.”

Ashpaugh said he remembers what ag-ed classes were like when he first started teaching 28 years ago. They are nothing like today’s.

“When I first started, ag-ed was pretty much a welder in a shop and an adding machine,” Ashpaugh said. “Now, we’ve got a computer lab, plasma cutters and so much more. I think the biggest thing that has happened for ag-ed is going from production agriculture and ag mechanics to more diversified subject matter.”

Laverne is not behind when it comes to diversification. The ag-ed program added a greenhouse this year for students to learn more about horticulture.

“We’re getting outside the little box,” Ashpaugh said. “We’re not just showing pigs, cattle and sheep anymore.”

Laverne is also molding success stories through its ag-ed classes. The school’s program has produced four state FFA officers and this year’s national FFA president, Travis Jett. Ashpaugh said diversification and success helps his program thrive.

“We have a legacy of kids going on and making something of themselves,” Ashpaugh said. “Kids see if they take the bull by the horns that they also can be successful.” One of the success stories is Rhett Laubach, a former Laverne FFA member who served as a state officer and now travels the country as a motivational speaker and leadership expert. He first enrolled in ag-ed in 1987, a year before diversification began to take root in classes across Oklahoma and the nation. As someone who makes a living as a public speaker, he is glad the diversification helped place more emphasis on public speaking, an area where many students are excelling today in ag-ed classes and FFA. “There is tremendous opportunity for students interested in public speaking,” Laubach said. “You win one speech contest and you can win $1,000.”

Laubach credits FFA for helping mold him into the success that he is. He will always be an advocate for ag-ed classes in the high schools and the FFA organization itself. In his travels across the country and in his talks with thousands of FFA members, he knows the success stories that the program is creating.

“In FFA, there’s a place for almost anybody to excel,” Laubach said.  “It doesn’t matter if it’s public speaking, horticulture or some other area, kids can find a niche somewhere and succeed.”

Well-known Oklahomans who found that niche and success in ag-ed and FFA, even before the diversification took place, include Larry Watkins, the General Manager of Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives. Others on the list include Gov. Brad Henry, Oklahoma Speaker of the House Todd Hiett, Miss Oklahoma 2004 Elizabeth Kinney and Link Newcomb, CEO of Oakley Inc.

Boggs knows that list will grow as ag-ed classes continue to diversify to stay relevant. He sees a great future ahead for ag-ed and FFA.

“I’m excited about the future,” Boggs said.

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