Varnado teacher selected as FFA ‘Ambassador’
Published 10:32 am Tuesday, August 2, 2022
- Varnado High School teacher Kalyn Yount, a member of the school’s agriculture department, is shown with some of her students. She was one of more than 70 teachers chosen across the nation to be a “National Teachers Ambassador” for the FFA.
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For years, teachers across the country have advocated for their students regardless of their environment — whether it be in-person, virtual or hybrid. Agricultural education teachers are no exception. For the past few years, they have faced numerous challenges. This summer, they came together to share how they can work together to share the story of FFA and agricultural education in their states and communities.
More than 70 agricultural education teachers shared that story as part of the “National Teachers Ambassadors for FFA” program. The program, which began in 2016, provides teachers with the tools to share information about FFA and agricultural education with their communities.
One of the National Teachers Ambassadors for FFA this year is Kalyn Yount of Varnado High School.
Teachers selected for the program received intensive training in June and July to learn and collaborate on educational resources. Similar to last year, this year’s training was virtual. Throughout the year, the ambassadors will present workshops and work with teachers from across the country to brainstorm and share ideas.
Through the year, the ambassadors will serve as a voice of the organization to teachers across the country. They will, in turn, provide feedback from those in the educational field to the National FFA Organization. In addition, a few have been selected to serve as mentor ambassadors — providing support to others and feedback to the organization throughout the year.
“Our ambassadors are our key communicators for us — not only by sharing information out in the field but also by sharing with us the challenges our teachers and advisors face every day,” said Christine White, chief program officer for the National FFA Organization. “Through this program, we equip teachers with the tools they need to be successful in not only developing future leaders but also in telling their stories.”
The National FFA Organization is a school-based national youth leadership development organization of more than 735,000 student members as part of 8,817 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
