JaLeigh Oldenburg from Mulhall, Oklahoma, has found a way to turn her passion for agriculture into an unforgettable experience in her kindergarten classroom.
In 2018, Oldenburg, a senior at Mulhall-Orlando High School, was named the Oklahoma FFA State Star Farmer.
“From the moment my name was announced on stage, it marked the beginning of my path to serve others,” Oldenburg said. The only female finalist, she never believed she would win one of the most coveted awards FFA offers. In 2020, she ran for American Star Farmer. There, she became a finalist and had the honor of being on the national stage.
When Oldenburg graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in early childhood education, she wasn’t quite sure how to combine her two greatest passions — agriculture and teaching.
But when there’s a will, there’s a way.
She has incorporated “Farm Fridays” into her kindergarten classroom’s weekly schedule. Although this is a fun way for Oldenburg to teach her students the best that farm life has to offer, she is thankful primarily that FFA has given her the confidence to be herself. FFA is one of those organizations that can bring any kid out of their shell and make them confident in whatever they do — whether public speaking, walking into the show ring, or working on research projects.
Oldenburg was never the kid who liked being at school; she would have much rather spent her days in the barn with her sheep, at a sheep show, or at an FFA event with her friends. When she first started, she never planned on being a teacher; she thought accounting was more her speed. But after some time, she recalled a moment with her mom at a show, where she said, “There are always kids watching your every move and looking up to you, so be someone that leads by example and be kind, because you used to be that little girl looking up to the older girls around you.” This changed Oldenburg’s mind. She knew then and there that she could serve her community and the next generation by becoming a teacher.
Oldenburg is now in her second year of teaching, and she has learned so much about how teachers impact the communities around them. She grew up in a small, tight-knit rural community, so she was used to everyone around her being part of 4-H and FFA. Still, when she began teaching at a much larger school, she learned that not every kid knew about agriculture. She decided that she wanted to be a teacher who changed the narrative. She has slowly helped her school get involved in any agricultural opportunity they can.
Her most significant impact has been serving her community through a school garden. The kids have learned how to start a plant from seed and watch it grow. They enjoy learning about gardening and eating the foods they produce. One of Oldenburg’s favorite things about teaching is knowing she is learning just as much as her students are.
Her mission is to be a teacher who teaches academics and values like hard work, kindness and responsibility. She is not just serving the community and teaching lessons but growing future leaders one “Farm Friday” at a time.
