The Greenbrier FFA Chapter has gone from one teacher with more than 120 students in 1990 to now having three teachers with more than 360 students.

  “Leadership is the most important thing we teach,” Greenbrier agriculture education teacher Rodney Wiedower said. “Not all of our students will enter agriculture, but we can train them to be leaders.”

   This credo is carried out by Wiedower and the other agriculture education teachers, Patrick Breeding and Rebecca Wherry, who work hard to provide students who participate in the Greenbrier agriculture education program and FFA a variety of experiences for personal growth and leadership.

   Students get exposed to the four courses of study when they take the introductory agriculture science and technology class. Although it is an introductory course, sometimes students don’t take it until their junior or senior year because of scheduling.

   Once a student completes the introductory class, they can pursue educational opportunities in agriculture mechanics, animal science, the advance beef and equine class, horticulture or agriculture business.

   “At Greenbrier High School, two of our agriculture classes – leadership and agriculture business, are considered honors classes,” Wiedower explained. “We’ve been doing this for more than two years. We are probably one of the few schools that have agriculture classes as honors classes. Students have to take so many honors classes to be considered an honor graduate. At Greenbrier, it’s eight.

   Southern Arkansas University agriculture education students make it a point to visit the school’s well-designed ag mechanics shop during their annual tour of the state’s agriculture education programs.

   “In our ag structures program, students build model houses to scale using current carpentry and construction techniques,” Breeding said. “Prior to taking this course, students complete a tools usage class where they learn electricity fundamentals and wiring.

   “In the welding class, students learn about mig, tig and arc welding,” said Breeding. “Some of our students go on to advanced schools such as Tulsa Welding School.

   “Students in our Ag Mechanics I class learn about arc welding, plumbing, tool functions, small engines, hand – woodworking, power wood – working, graphics, concrete masonry, surveying, cold metal working, and oxy-acetylene welding,” Breeding explained.

   “We spend most of our study time in introductory animal science learning about cattle, hogs, sheep and goats,” Wiedower said. Focus areas include genetics, nutrition and reproduction.

   “Greenbrier FFA members have many and diverse livestock show projects including breeding animals and some steers, as well as market hogs, sheep and goats,” Wiedower said. “Economics and space play a part in the project selection depending on whether the member is in a subdivision or in more rural areas.”

   Members show animals at county, district and state fairs.

   Biological animal science is the next class after animal science. According to Wiedower, there’s some repetition, but students get into bio-technology, including reproduction and genetics.

   “Advanced animal science is next,” Wiedower said. We teach this almost like a production class for cattle and horses, where students deal with marketing and herd management. We are trying to get an animal science facility built on campus to provide hands-on opportunities where students will be able to do embryo transplants and artificial insemination.”

   This year, students in the ag marketing class formed two marketing agencies. Students had to develop their marketing programs and do a sales presentation to Wherry as if she were a prospective customer.

   Wherry works with students in horticulture science. “We do greenhouse management in the spring,” she said. “The plant sale is the big project. We grow plants from seed. Some we transplant. We end up with a mix of vegetables, flowers and hanging baskets.

   “In the fall, students grow pansies for a fall sale to get some greenhouse experience.”

   The chapter also helps the school by growing annual flowers used by the school’s maintenance department in campus beautification.

   “In the upper-level horticulture classes, students get into nursery operation, landscaping and floriculture,” Wherry said. “They even get into geometry, art and design, similar to the shows on HDTV.

   “Some students are reluctant and lack confidence,” she said. “They don’t realize they have to get a dirty thumb before they can have a green thumb.”

   Some of the program students work part-time in a local flower shop during the busy times doing arrangements and waiting on customers. “Working in the flower shop adds another aspect to our program where we are in an urban-suburban environment,” Wherry explained. “It helps students develop self-sufficiency.”

   Wiedower teaches agriculture business. “It’s been a challenge,” he said. The course is two phases, with agriculture business the first semester and agriculture marketing the second.

  “We try to teach business,” Wiedower said. “Agriculture is the basis for the class, but the principles students learn can be used in any business. Accounting is used a lot.

   “A lot of the students won’t pursue careers in agriculture, but they can use the business principles in anything they do.

   “The class runs about 50/50 mix of juniors and seniors. This is the first year for agriculture marketing,” he explained.

   Students work with the fourth-grade PALS students in a mentoring program at the elementary school. Activities included playing games, building birdhouses together, and assisting with schoolwork.

   “The day after the tornado hit Clinton, our students came up with the idea of helping the people there. They filled a 20-foot trailer and two pickup trucks with supplies, including food and clothing, and took them to Clinton. It took three trips to get all the stuff up there.”

   Breeding, who’s been at Greenbrier the longest, said the agriculture education program and FFA have great community support. “Some of our proudest moments are when former students come by and ask what we need or how they can help,” Breeding stated.

   “Last year, parents put up a billboard saluting the FFA kids and programs,” Breeding said. They often volunteer to serve as chaperones and help in other ways.

   “Our school administrators and faculty are also very supportive of our program,” Breeding said. “It’s almost like a community effort – everybody helps us!”

   Greenbrier received the Arkansas Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association “Outstanding Program Award” for 2007. Breeding was named “Outstanding Agriculture Education Teacher” for Arkansas and Region II and Wherry was named “Outstanding Young Agriculture Education Teacher for Arkansas.”

   Wiedower is currently serving as 2008 president of the AVATA.

   Their efforts are reflected in the remarks of students. “I feel very lucky to be a student a Greenbrier,” said Elizabeth “Peanut” Havens, current FFA chapter president.

   Another student, Wesley Wilcox, said, “The FFA has enabled me to meet other students, share experiences and grow. My advisor has taught me not only about agriculture, but about life.”