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Brad Harguth named Outstanding Ag Education Teacher of the Year for Region VIII |
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By Daniel McGonigle
Argus Managing Editor
“It’s an award given to me by my peers in the Region,” said Brad Harguth, Ag teacher at Caledonia Area Schools. Harguth appreciated the designation. “It’s nice,” he said.
The Outstanding Ag Education teacher of the year award is given out on an annual basis.
Winning the award in Region VIII meant that he could be nominated at the state and national level.
An instructor from Battle Lake was named the state winner. However, Harguth can continue to apply for that designation in future years should he choose to do so.
“Humble,” is how Harguth described the letters of recommendation that were sent to the nominating committee on his behalf. “You never know what people think of the type of job you do. But it was humbling, especially when you read some of the comments people said about you. It is nice to know people appreciate what you’re doing.”
The District responded with this comment: “We’re very pleased with Brad and what he’s done for the Ag and FFA programs,” said Mike Moriarty, school superintendent. “He’s been a good edition to the district.”
Involvement
Harguth has served as the Region VIII Development Coordinator for the past four years. His involvement with the FFA was also well documented in his being given the award.
He began his teaching career in Spring Grove back in December of 1980. He has since gone on to teach at Mabel-Canton, Riverland Community College in Austin, and has taught at Caledonia for the past three years. All while remaining in the same house he and his wife moved into when they were married in 1986, near his wife’s hometown of Eitzen.
Despite not seeing many changes in terms of the location he calls home, the long-time teacher has seen many changes during his time in the classroom.
“Agriculture is always changing,” he said. “So you have to stay on top of the advancements being made so you can effectively teach them to your classes.”
FFA is another program/area that Harguth has seen many transitions.
“It isn’t just a farming organization anymore,” he noted. “You’re seeing it expand into a lot of areas. That perception that it is all about farming has really changed.”
Students who are in the FFA program are responding with two top five finishes in Ag Mechanics and General Livestock at state competition.
“You’re among the best of the best,” said Harguth. “That is a pretty big accomplishment.”
When considering the personal accomplishment of the award, Harguth would rather talk about the accomplishments being made by students who are finding so many benefits in the Ag and FFA programs.
“It’s nice to see the kids having success in these programs and knowing that there are other things to do in high school beyond athletics,” he said. “The students are really starting to see that they can do both and still succeed. I really want kids to experience as much as they can in high school because when you get out, you want them to be as prepared as possible.
“The skills kids are learning in these classrooms are skills they are going to need to be successful, community, leadership, the hands on learning types of skills.”
Many to thank
“Of course I’d like to thank my wife,” said Harguth when asked who he believes helped in his being given the award. “She’s the one who put up with me coming and going all hours of the night, up to the cities for FFA competition, or in-service or some conference.”
Harguth also appreciates working in a district where the administration has done so much for the Ag and FFA programs.
“In my mind an administration can make or break an Ag program,” he said. “The support of the board of education and the administration has been a wonderful thing here at this school.
“It has been refreshing working for an administration who doesn’t just look at the dollars,” he continued. “Ag and Industrial Tech. are probably some of the most expensive programs in a school when you figure the investment it takes in the equipment.
And of course the faculty,” he concluded. “The support of the faculty has really been great.”
You can contact Daniel McGonigle at
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