Kaylee Lower: Championing Agricultural Education Across Missouri

By: Karson Calvin

For Kaylee Lower, educating and empowering the next generation isn’t just a passion; it’s a responsibility.

Kaylee sees programs like Missouri Farmers Care’s Agriculture Education on the MoveTM (Ag Moves) as a powerful tool to communicate agriculture through hands-on learning, personal stories and meaningful connections with students. From her first experience as a high school senior helping bring Ag Moves to Weaubleau Elementary, to helping lead FFA Partner training days at the University of Missouri (Mizzou), to helping launch Ag Moves in the Troy R-III School District, Kaylee has been a champion for agricultural education in Missouri expanding its reach one community, one classroom, and one student at a time.

Kaylee grew up on her family’s generational cow/calf operation in rural Southwest Missouri and is the daughter of a mixed practice veterinarian. Her involvement in agriculture started at a young age, while showing cattle, however it was not until high school when she got involved in the National FFA Organization that she saw herself in a future career in agricultural education.

Kaylee’s first encounter with Ag Moves came after seeing surrounding schools' share about teaching the program on social media. She knew Ag Moves would be of value to the students in her local community.

“ I still remember walking into the Ag Building and asking my FFA Advisor at the time if we could do Ag Ed on the Move,” Kaylee shares. “With sheer disappointment, she informed me that our school was not in an Agri-Ready Designated County, which was a requirement for the program at the time…Thankfully, we were approved to teach Ag Moves at Weaubleau Elementary for the fall and spring semesters.”

After teaching Ag Moves to two classes of elementary students, Kaylee graduated from high school in 2020 and enrolled at Mizzou in the College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources. There, she continued her involvement by helping demonstrate the ten Ag Moves lessons during the FFA Partner Training Day hosted at Mizzou.

When asked why she continued staying involved in Ag Moves, Kaylee reflected, “Growing up in a rural community, I took for granted the knowledge I have.” She added “Students in all areas deserve to know where their food comes from.”

Kaylee graduated from Mizzou in 2023 and started her career as an Agricultural Educator at Troy, located in fast-growing Lincoln County, an #Agri-Ready Designated County. Seeing a growing need for more agricultural education in the community, she gauged the interest of students and elementary teachers.

Kaylee began working with Troy R-III administration to pilot Ag Moves in summer school. Six Troy FFA members taught lessons to 50 elementary-age students, while gaining valuable teaching, communication, and leadership experience.

“…One of the things that stand out the most about Ag Moves are the opportunities it provides to high school students to explore careers and gain leadership skills beyond the walls of their high school,” Kaylee explained.

After a successful summer in Troy, for both the elementary and high school students, Kaylee is excited to watch Ag Moves continue to grow and expand at Troy. This fall, Kaylee starts a new adventure back home in Southwest Missouri as an Agriculture Educator in the Republic School District.

No matter where Kaylee is located, her teaching philosophy remains unchanged. She uses the  hands-on, real-world material principals at the heart of Ag Moves. Kaylee is already planning new ways to champion Ag Moves in her new community.

Kaylee ended by sharing, “ A common question I ask myself is ‘if not me, then who?’ If I am not willing to bring a program that has been proven to work in communities in need, then who will be?”

Thanks to agricultural education champions like Kaylee Lower, the reach of agricultural education continues to expand, one community, one classroom, and one student at a time.