(Akron) — The Akron-Westfield FFA adviser and agricultural education instructor was honored last evening. Randy Kroksh was presented the “Golden Owl” Award recognizing the efforts of agricultural education instructors.
Kroksh was presented a plague, along with a $500 check. The award is sponsored by Nationwide Insurance, and the Iowa FFA Foundation. Joshua Remington serves as the Executive Director of the Iowa FFA Foundation and explains the award is new.
Kroksh, along with five other agriculture education instructors from across the state are the inaugural recipients of the honor. Remington says the Iowa FFA had received more then ten nominations from the Akron-Westfield area nominating Randy Kroksh for the honor.
Nationwide Insurance officials and Remington made the presentation to Kroksh during the chapter’s meeting and pot-luck dinner. Kroksh says he was surprised by the honor. Kroksh has been teaching at Akron-Westfield for 17 years. He in fact had retired from teaching, but after the replacement
teacher decided to leave the school after one year of teaching, Kroksh decided to return to teaching agriculture education at Akron-Westfield, saying he had missed it. Kroksh credits his own ag teacher for persuading him to take up agriculture education in college.
Kroksh says his philosophy regarding agriculture education is to alert people about the true story of agriculture.
One of Randy Kroksh’s passions is coordinating an annual seminar involving all elementary students of the Akron-Westfield school district in a “farm safety awareness” program.
Kroksh and the other five recipients of the “Golden Owl” award will be recognized during the state FFA convention to be held in April.
