Hayley Gruenewald discovered the opportunity to combine her interests as a student educator and solidify her career goals through agriculture education and FFA in high school.

As a freshman at Silex High School, she participated in Missouri FFA HYMAX Academy. There she learned about Agriculture Education on the Move, or Ag Moves.

The program instructs elementary students about crops, livestock, soil and water conservation, nutrition, careers in agriculture, and more through STEM-focused lessons through interactive hands-on activities.

Missouri FFA students partner with Missouri Farmers Care and Ag Moves to teach students in their local school districts, gaining hands-on experience in the classroom and advocating for agriculture in their community.

“Since I don’t live on a farm, I was excited that agriculture education could be an SAE [Supervised Agriculture Experience] that I would be able to do,” Gruenewald says. “I didn’t need a farm; I could share my knowledge with younger kids.”

LIGHT IT UP: Candling eggs with elementary students is part of the Ag Moves curriculum. The program, coordinated by Missouri Farmers Care with the help of industry sponsors, furnishes training, curriculum and lesson materials at no cost.

She began teaching Ag Moves to third, fourth and fifth grade students at Silex in September 2022. In May, she graduated high school, but she says the practical experience gained teaching Ag Moves helped inspire her to become an elementary teacher.

“I wanted to become a teacher, but I didn’t know that I wanted to teach elementary. The elementary classroom clicked for me when I started teaching Ag Moves,” Gruenewald said. “The program didn’t just allow me to teach agriculture. I learned how to work with students and how they learn and process information. The program taught me time management and planning skills. I learned that I loved teaching with hands-on activities as much as the kids loved learning with them.”

Finding her way

As the second-oldest of 10 siblings, it isn’t surprising that Gruenewald could envision herself as a teacher.

“Growing up in my family, I have spent a lot of time helping with homework and learning to help kids with their emotions,” she says. “In a big family, it is important that everyone is heard, so it was natural for me to make sure every child was getting the opportunity to ask questions and participate in the classroom.”

HANDS-ON: The practical experience Hayley Gruenewald gained teaching Ag Moves helped inspire her to become an elementary teacher. In May, she graduated high school and will pursue a career in elementary education at College of the Ozarks.

Gruenewald’s favorite Ag Moves lesson was on dairy, which included a butter-making activity for students.

During her second year of teaching Ag Moves, Gruenewald expanded on the Ag Moves lessons by designing her own lessons on Christmas tree farms and woodworking.

During her senior year, Gruenewald’s lessons reached 100 younger students at Silex.

A little prodding

Gruenewald says her teacher and advisor, Sean O’Brien, pushes students to do their best and makes learning about agriculture fun. Gruenewald credits him for championing her Ag Moves experience and her decision to become an elementary school teacher.

“Hayley was born to be an educator and has a teacher’s heart,” O’Brien says. “Hayley has had the unique opportunity to develop and put into action an ag-based curriculum. She learned how to plan out activities, manage classroom behaviors and dynamics, and develop clear instructions and direction-giving techniques. Without a doubt, this experience has better prepared Hayley for her future classroom.”

Gruenewald will attend the College of the Ozarks in the fall. To learn more, to support the program, or invite the program into your school, visit agmoves.com.

Alexander writes from Olga.