Riverton FFA Recognized with NAAE Outstanding Middle/Secondary Program Award

State FFA Office - December 23, 2008

CHARLOTTE, NC - The Agriculture Department at Riverton High School, Riverton Kansas is one of six agriculture programs that received the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) Outstanding Postsecondary/Adult Program Award on December 3rd at the NAAE annual conference.

The Riverton High School Agriculture department is directed by Jacob Larison, who has taught at Riverton High School since 2001, and previously taught at Southwestern Heights and Arkansas City High Schools.  Larison, an accomplished agricultural educator, received the Disney Teacher Award in 2006 for facilitating outstanding creativity in the classroom.

The agriculture curriculum at Riverton gives students several opportunities for hands-on learning. Students can take complete career cluster pathways in plant science, animal science, agribusiness and power, structural and technology systems through curriculum developed by Larison.  In 2005, the program opened doors to a new agricultural education facility, complete with a small animal laboratory, computer lab, greenhouse, a paint room, classroom and a well-equipped mechanics lab.  Technology such as Tablet PCs, GPS receivers and landscaping software has also been incorporated. The new facilities have allowed Larison to bring more hands-on learning into his classroom instruction.

The Riverton agricultural education program boasts a 100 percent FFA membership.  The FFA chapter has been recognized in the National Chapter Award program as a top ten chapter in the state every year since 2003, and as the top chapter in 2008.  Larison puts a strong focus on supervised agricultural experience programs at Riverton, as students have won eleven state proficiency awards and five have been recognized as national finalists.

"My belief is that the purpose of public education is to create happy, productive members of society. Mr. Larison is an extraordinarily effective educator in helping students meet this goal," said David Walters, Riverton Superintendent of Schools.  "The across-the-curriculum knowledge the students have of agriculture-related career opportunities and the leadership skills they have developed all serve them well as they leave high school and enter the workforce or go on to advanced educational opportunities.

The mission of NAAE is "professionals providing agricultural education for the global community through visionary leadership, advocacy and service."  The NAAE office is located in Lexington, KY.