From the Classroom to the National Stage: How Ag Moves Inspires Success

By: Jaron VanHouden

Planting Seeds of Agricultural Literacy

In classrooms across Missouri, students are discovering the roots of agriculture, including how food grows and how they can grow, too. Through Agriculture Education on the Move™ (Ag Moves), agricultural literacy meets leadership development.

That blend becomes real in the classroom through 10 engaging, hands-on lessons led by high school and college educators. These experiences empower high school and college educators to teach elementary students about the importance of agriculture while strengthening their communication skills and confidence. In 2024, this vital work was delivered by 881 FFA partner educators, reaching more than 12,600 elementary students across Missouri.

“Ag Moves was designed to grow both agricultural literacy and leadership,” says Ag Moves Program Director Heather Fletcher. “When a high school student stands in front of a classroom for the first time, they not only teach about agriculture, but begin to discover who they are as leaders.”

A Launchpad for Success

What began as a program focused on agricultural literacy has evolved into a launchpad for personal and professional growth, and the results speak for themselves. In recent years, Ag Moves partner educators realized remarkable national success through the National FFA Agricultural Education Proficiency Award area. These wins highlight the program’s impact far beyond Missouri’s borders.

In 2022, Emily Hoyt, an alumnus of the Audrain Co. R-VI FFA Chapter from Agri-Ready Designated Audrain County, became the first Ag Moves educator to earn the prestigious national title, setting a high standard for what these young leaders can achieve.

“Ag Moves helped me find my confidence,” says Emily, who is now a full-time agriculture teacher at Paris R-II High School. “Standing in front of a classroom taught me how to lead, how to communicate, and how to believe in the impact I could make through agricultural education. I discovered my love for teaching through Ag Moves, and now I get to share that same passion with my own students every day.”

Two years later, in 2024, Hayley Gruenewald, an alumnus of the Silex FFA Chapter from #Agri-Ready Designated Lincoln County, represented Ag Moves as a top four national finalist, continuing the program’s legacy of excellence. Most recently, in 2025, Lynn Dyer, a member of the Higginsville FFA Chapter from #Agri-Ready Designated Lafayette County, brought home another national championship.

“Ag Moves allowed me to share my passion for agriculture with youth across the state,” Lynn says. “I loved seeing students’ excitement and curiosity to learn something new each day. I will continue to use the classroom management and communication skills I gained from the experience in my career, and I am excited to see the impact the program will continue to make for youth FFA partner educators and Missouri agriculture.”

Cultivating the Future of Agricultural Education

These outstanding educators have been a part of building Ag Moves’ national reputation as a program where dedication, education, and leadership thrive. Missouri Farmers Care Executive Director Ashley McCarty sees these achievements as the true measure of the program’s value.

“Ag Moves leaves a lasting mark on both sides of the classroom, shaping future educators and inspiring the next generation to see agriculture as more than a subject, but a shared story worth telling,” she says.

This “shared story worth telling” is personified by leaders like Emily, Hayley, and Lynn. Ag Moves helps these dedicated young people, and many others across the state, realize they want to pursue a career in teaching, turning a high school experience into a lifelong commitment. Ag Moves’ unique combination of discovery and passion is actively building and securing a pipeline for future Missouri agriculture teachers.

Ag Moves engaged over 12,600 elementary students in the 2024-25 school year, reaching one in six Missouri elementary students. FFA members, professional educators and collegiate interns deliver the curriculum in local schools. The Missouri Farmers Care Foundation, which hosts Ag Moves, supplies curriculum, materials, and trained educators at no cost to participating schools. A list of elementary schools receiving Ag Moves programming this semester can be found here.