We are growing leaders!
Mrs. Abby Hitchler, from the Boone Central FFA chapter works hard to help students find their place in agriculture and achieve success in various forms. She knew she wanted to be an educator, but after her freshman year in college, inspired by her high school agriculture teacher and coming from a strong background in agriculture, she switched her major to agricultural education and never looked back, as she has now taught ag for 15 years.
Ag teachers witness “lightbulb moments” when students’ experiences are connected through the classroom, hands-on learning, and leadership through FFA.
Over the years, with the help of many exceptional students, Mrs. Hitchler has built Boone Central into a very strong program. Even though the chapter has built a reputation of being very successful in competitions, Mrs. Hitchler hangs her hat on the journey of preparing for contests more than the result, understanding that students gain more skills and lessons during the journey, not the destination. She draws inspiration from her passions for agriculture and helping students succeed and finding a place in agriculture. She also enjoys the day-to-day variety of agricultural education and all of the innovations incorporated into it. Mrs. Hitchler works to instill in students a balance between school and their personal life. She tries to have most of the FFA events during the week and works to respect students’ weekends as well.
Some of her favorite memories include watching students compete at the National FFA Convention after working hard to get to the highest level and having two Nebraska FFA State Officers come from the Boone Central FFA chapter. But, what Mrs. Hitchler enjoys the most is observing all of the lightbulb moments that students experience in the classroom and in FFA.
