What happens when a teacher treats a classroom like a launchpad? We sit down with Georgia’s Teacher of the Year to explore how agriculture education, FFA, and work-based learning give students real skills, real mentors, and real chances to lead. From the greenhouse to the state boardroom, this is a story about saying yes to hands-on learning and watching students grow into confident citizens.
We trace her path from a farm upbringing and Wyoming ranch camp summers to a career that blends animal science, leadership, and entrepreneurship. She breaks down the ag education three-circle model—classroom instruction, FFA, and supervised agricultural experiences—and shows how each part feeds the others. You’ll hear how national FFA convention opens doors for 70,000 students, why a school livestock barn changes daily teaching, and how SAEs translate into paid work, portfolios, and national recognition.
The highlight is a blueprint any school can adapt: a floral design program launched with $1,000 that now generates $60,000 through wreath classes, monthly subscriptions, weddings, and major events. Alongside that, a citywide service initiative sends hundreds of students to parks, nonprofits, and shelters in a single day, turning service hours into civic pride. We talk candidly about logistics, leadership that finds a way to say yes, and the moments when students transform their teacher—like the welder who found purpose in the shop and the alum who returned to design flowers during a family tragedy.
We also pull back the curtain on her role with the State Board of Education, how funding and accountability connect, and why expanding CTAE and work-based learning drives equity across districts. Public education’s superpower is choice: AP, dual enrollment, IB, and technical pathways that help students discover what truly fits—and what doesn’t—before it costs time and tuition.
If you care about career readiness, community partnerships, and programs that pay their own way, you’ll come away with practical ideas and fresh energy. Subscribe, share this episode with a colleague who dreams big for their students, and leave a review telling us the one hands-on project you’d launch first.
