Scott Stone, FFA Advisor at the Centralia High School, is among visionaries being recognized nationally through Farm Credit 100 Fresh Perspectives, a search to identify and honor 100 leaders who are changing rural communities and agriculture for the better. The honorees were announced at a National Ag Day event at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
Scott Stone has been an agricultural educator for 18 years, teaching more than 1,800 students about the impact agriculture has on their lives. His goal each day is to inspire students to continue the traditions that have built a prosperous America. He tells them about the broad range of things they must consider as potential producers, from production systems and record keeping systems, to food safety and the importance of consumer perception.
“Our most valuable assets in agriculture are the future generation of producers, processors and consumers,” Scott says. “It is my goal to have every student who leaves my classroom more prepared for life. I realize that not all my students will pursue a career in agriculture, but if I can have each student become an advocate for agriculture, then I will have achieved my goal.”
Scott uses every opportunity that comes across his path to improve American agriculture in some small way. Recognizing that the industry is changing, he has also became a national agri-science ambassador. In this role Scott strives to improve his own teachings and also share the impact of agriculture with other educators. He has have traveled to four states and presented 12 workshops to more than 200 science and agriculture educators, who in turn will further impact America’s youth with messages about the role and importance of agriculture.
Scott has also served as a presenter for the ‘Helping Youth Maximize their Potential” program, a youth agriculture development academy for the top 100 Missouri FFA Freshmen. Each summer since the program’s inception, Scott has held workshops that focus on becoming advocates for agriculture on the local, state, and national level. He is also a vocal proponent of developing inquiry-based experiences for each student to gain hands on experience in agriculture.
Scott is a visionary leader who looks to create the future instead of reacting to it. He’s served as the Missouri Agriculture Teacher’s President and is the National Association of Agriculture Educators President-elect.
“I feel the future of agriculture is very bright,” says Scott. “The road will no doubt have its challenges and obstacles, but that is the perfect time for us to show the world how resilient American agriculturists are. It will no doubt be difficult to feed a growing population with decreasing resources, but through innovation, determination and ingenuity, we will meet this opportunity.”
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