'Keep setting goals' / Morgan native takes on FFA, ag position
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No Comments [ Add Comment ]By DEANNE WINTERTON
Standard-Examiner correspondent
MORGAN -- While attending Morgan High School, Megan Haslam participated in more than a dozen FFA contests. Whenever she returned home from one of the competitions, and whether her team had won or lost, her FFA adviser, Ray Little, would always ask, "What's next?"
"It taught me to keep setting goals -- never be satisfied to sit on your past accomplishments and think you are done," Haslam said. "There is always something else you can do to keep improving."
That philosophy helped prepare Haslam for what's next: a teaching position at Morgan High School, replacing the retired Little after the Morgan FFA chapter dominated state competition for more than a decade under his direction.
"Ray Little has put Morgan High School on the map when it comes to agricultural education and the FFA. Another FFA adviser in Utah, and possibly the nation, will never top his consecutive record of 16 chapter sweepstakes winners," said Morgan County School District Superintendent Ron Wolff. "His devotion, sacrifice and tireless efforts have made the difference in the lives of hundreds of students."
Little has spent 31 years as an educator, 25 of which have been at Morgan High. Haslam is honoring that legacy, while assuring her students and the community that she's ready to take Morgan agriculture and FFA in a whole new direction.
"I want the ag courses taught in Morgan to reflect the community and the needs of the students," Haslam said. In particular, she is looking into the option of creating a greenhouse program like those she's visited elsewhere.
Enrollment in agriculture classes at Morgan High has increased this year, and Haslam hopes to continue that trend.
"I plan to work on breaking down the stereotype that agriculture is only farming," Haslam said. "Teachers across the nation have been working together to make sure education programs reflect the changing face of agriculture."
And agriculture is changing in Morgan.
"FFA has a bright future here," said Haslam, who has also taught in Mountain View, Wyo., and Riggins, Idaho. "I think there will always be people in the community who continue to farm, but it is becoming harder and harder to scratch out a living here as a production agriculturist, especially with new housing developments coming in all the time and competing for farm ground."
Haslam graduated from Morgan High in 2003. She went on to study agricultural education at Utah State University, earning a bachelor's degree in 2007. Her reputation as a student there led to her new position in Morgan, Wolff said.
She was the 2007 agricultural student of the year at Utah State, "one of the best agricultural colleges in the nation," Wolff said. "The staff at USU called her one of the best they've worked with the past several years. She was also the top candidate using our screening and hiring procedures. Megan was hired because of her competency and her understanding of our program."
Many applied for the position, but Haslam was the best choice because of her experience as a student within the program, Wolff said.
"No one else has any idea of the pressure or the expectations associated with the program," Wolff said. "She knows what she's getting into. The pressure for continued success in the FFA program is greater in Morgan than any other chapter in the state."
Haslam isn't letting the pressure get to her.
"I think winning sweepstakes is a reachable goal. There is wonderful community and parent support for the program," Haslam said. "Many volunteers help train teams to compete in state competition each year. Also, the students are awesome. They work hard, are willing to go the extra mile and are highly motivated to win sweepstakes again. They want to carry on the tradition."
She has hit the ground running in her new job. Her teaching contract began in June, and since then she's put in more than 400 hours making home visits to students, attending a leadership retreat with the new Morgan FFA officers, touring various agricultural enterprises in Cache Valley, and doing paperwork for the junior livestock sale at the Morgan County Fair.
That's all part of the job, she said.
"Being an ag teacher requires a lot of extra time, no matter what program you are at," Haslam said. "I expect to spend the bulk of my time working to continue the program. My main goal is to continue to build upon the program that Ray has already established. I'm excited to be back home. I love the town and the people here."
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