In Arlington ISD, our agriculture teachers wear many hats – educators, mentors, advocates and community leaders. Their influence goes far beyond the classroom walls, shaping students’ lives and futures through the hands-on experiences, leadership opportunities and unwavering support they provide. This Teacher Appreciation Week, we’re proud to shine a spotlight on the dedicated ag teachers across our district.
“Having grown up in Arlington and going through the FFA [Future Farmers of America] program as a student, I have a different viewpoint of my role as an FFA advisor and teacher in the Arlington ag department,” said Tanner Smith, a teacher at Arlington High School. “I want to make sure that every student I see knows all the opportunities available to them. All of the speaking events, leadership opportunities, livestock showing, judging contests, but mostly that FFA has a spot for them if they will allow themselves the opportunity to get out of their comfort zone and trust that we are here to help! I make sure they know even after high school I am still rooting for their success in life. I am proud that I have eight to 10 former students who are either in the process of becoming an ag teacher or are currently teaching ag in the state of Texas, hopefully taking what they got from here and giving it to others.”
The impact is real. Check out what a few Arlington ISD ag students shared about their teachers:
Amanda Padilla, Lamar High School
“I’ve had great experiences with my ag teachers throughout my three years in FFA. Each has given me a piece of knowledge that I will carry with me and use in different milestones of my life. I would love to shout out to Ms. Seiber who has always reminded me of my path and why I am working so hard for the future I want. She makes any space she is in a safe place for students to learn and ask questions about anything in life. I will forever be grateful for having the opportunity to learn from such amazing teachers.”
Evan Strayhorn, Martin High School
“My ag teachers have helped me in many ways. I have found my career interests, where I want to go to college and what I want to study in college through my ag teachers. My ag teachers are my biggest influences in life. They make me appreciate hard work and have shown me the good things that happen when I work hard and focus on the things that matter to me. I could not have been so successful in the things I do in my life without my ag teachers and their mentorship.”
Morgan Jones, Arlington High School
“Throughout my time in FFA, my ag teachers have truly made me the person I am today. Each and every day they push me to put myself out there by making new friends and attending every social event or meeting I possibly could. Because of my ag teachers I have gained confidence in who I want to be and grown not only as a student but as a leader, too. This year I ran for FFA officer. Having not shown an animal I was worried, but my ag teachers pushed me to run. I am thankful they did because I ended up making the officer team for the 2025-26 school year!”
Thanks to these teachers, Arlington FFA students have had a banner year marked with many achievements in 2024-25, including:
- Hosted a leadership and development event with 200 competing members.
- Partnered with River Legacy to host its first wildlife contest with 12 teams and 50 competing students.
- 18 students made a sale at the Tarrant County Junior Livestock Show.
- Four students attended the Texas Association School Board conference in Galveston, Texas, to speak on the topic “Building Life through Agriculture: Student Perspectives on FFA and Career Development.”
- Two students earned the FFA Lonestar degree, the highest degree of membership the state FFA can award.
- Four CDE (discrete choice experiment) teams advanced to their state contests.
- One student earned their American Degree at the National FFA convention (earned by less than 1% of students)
And those are just a few of the highlights. This Teacher Appreciation Week, let’s thank the ag teachers – and all Arlington ISD teachers – for their tireless work, mentorship and dedication!
“I am only one of the ten ag teachers in the district,” Smith said. “It takes us all to do great things!”
Learn more about Arlington FFA.