Aaron Tucker has served Apollo High School (Daviess County) for more than three decades. Provided photo
Apollo High School (Daviess County) agriculture teacher Aaron Tucker has dedicated 31 years to his career in education, a dedication that has earned him recognition as a regional Golden Owl Award winner.
The Golden Owl Award is an honor presented by the Kentucky Future Farmers of America (FFA) Foundation. The award recognizes agriculture educators for their contributions in helping shape the next generation of leaders. Recipients can be nominated by students, colleagues or supporters.
Tucker didn’t grow up planning to become a teacher, yet he said he was inspired by two of his high school agriculture instructors, John Howard and Carl Atherton from Daviess County High School who showed him what the profession was like.
“I had two pretty good, two good high school ag teachers and I knew I wanted to do something with agriculture,” he said. “Nobody in my family had ever taught or anything, and I just kind of thought I might like it and I have. I have really enjoyed it.”
He went on to earn both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Western Kentucky University, later completing his Rank I at Indiana Wesleyan.
His career began in Bath County before he returned closer to home in McLean County and then Daviess County.
Tucker said his classroom is a place where students learn by doing, and he strives to create an environment where each student can learn at their own pace.
His teaching style mixes classroom instruction with real-world application, so time is often spent between being in the classroom and in the mechanic’s shop.
For example, in his small engines unit, students learn how to read a micrometer, then head to the shop to measure engine parts. “It all kind of ties together,” he said. “You can see it kind of click and they’re like, ‘Oh, I understand that now.’”
One of his favorite projects comes from his agriculture structures class where students build a short stud wall, wire it, drywall it and then learn how to patch it.
“It’s something that they’re going to use in life,” Tucker said. “If their spouse wants a closet built, they’re like, ‘Hey, I can add a closet in this room because I know how to do it now.’”
Tucker collaborates with the local extension office in Daviess County and often works with the Natural Resources Conservation Service through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
One of the program’s most unique partnerships involves a grain drill the school rents out to local farmers.
“My students in shop class, they’re in charge of maintenance and repairs on the grain drill,” he said. The rental income goes directly toward scholarships for agriculture students.
Tucker described the honor of receiving the Golden Owl Award as validating.
“I’ve been doing this 31 years and I’ve always enjoyed it … but it’s nice to get recognized on something that you do,” he said.
Tucker said the recognition has also shined a light on Apollo’s agriculture program.
“Every one of our areas in agriculture went up this year … all our kids are learning, and the scores have went up and we’re just doing a good job down here, I believe.”
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