This week Nebraska’s State FFA Convention brought hundreds of FFA students and their advisors from across the state to Lincoln. Each year the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation selects two recipients for their FFA Advisor of the Year award. This award honors FFA advisors for outstanding work in their local communities.
David Gibbens from West Holt Public Schools and Kris Rut from Arthur County Public Schools were honored at the Nebraska State FFA Convention on Thursday, April 4, in Lincoln. The winning advisors received a plaque and a $1,000 donation to their FFA chapter.
The teachers were nominated by their students and chosen based upon their school and community involvement, leadership development in their classroom, and their ability to keep their students involved in agriculture.
“The Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation is proud to support these exceptional educators. They go above and beyond for their students and the industry they love, and the future of Nebraska agriculture is bright thanks to their work,” said Megahn Schafer, executive director of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation.
Gibbens is the FFA Advisor for the West Holt FFA Chapter. The West Holt community describes Gibbens as “the guy on top of things.” Gibbens strives to help students find success in and out of the classroom. He has helped students created five school-based businesses, led countless career development event teams to states and nationals, and has helped grow chapter membership to the highest it has been in 30 years. Gibbens commitment to developing students into capable leaders in order to better the community is unmatched.
“’I am humbled to be named the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation Advisor of the year. FFA Advisors across the state put in countless hours and work to develop members into future leaders of our communities and state. I am honored to receive this honor when so many are deserving,” said Gibbens.
Rut is the FFA Advisor for the Arthur FFA Chapter. Rut is incredibly integrated into her FFA chapter and community. She pushes her students to serve others through community outreach and stretch themselves professionally by trying new opportunities. While Rut has led many career development event teams to success, her students truly value that she defines success in unique ways: when they correctly dissect a calf, or decorate a Christmas tree for veterans, or restoring a community Mother-of-the-Year garden. Her commitment to bettering her students and community is evident.
“I am incredibly honored to be nominated by the Arthur County FFA members and recognized for this award. I am grateful to work in a field where exposing students to the diversity of agriculture and the traditional and non-traditional ways to be involved in the industry are top priorities. This is possible thanks to support from administrators, communities, and organizations who recognize the significance of Agriculture Education and FFA in our schools.
I am blessed to have awesome students and grateful for the many wonderful FFA Advisors throughout Nebraska! I appreciate the Farm Bureau’s investment in our students and programs by sponsoring this award and other programs, such as the Connecting Chapters Program and Nebraska Agriculture in the Classroom,” said Rut.
The mission of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation is to engage youth, educators, and the general public to promote an understanding of the vital importance of agriculture in the lives of all Nebraskans. The Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. For more information about the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation, visit www.nefbfoundation.org.