Angel Roller - Honored Missouri's Outstanding Agricultural Teacher of the Year
- Apr 10
- 2 min read
SENECA, MO – Dedication to agricultural education and student success has earned Angel Roller, an agriculture instructor and FFA advisor at Seneca High School, top statewide recognition. Roller has been named the Missouri Outstanding Agricultural Education Teacher of the Year, an honor bestowed by the Missouri Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association (MVATA) in conjunction with the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE).
This prestigious award recognizes educators who demonstrate exceptional commitment and innovation in the field of agricultural education. Roller secured the honor after formally applying through the MVATA selection process, showcasing her program's impact and her teaching philosophy.
While appreciative of the personal accolade, Roller emphasized that her true hope is for the award to serve as a tangible example for her students regarding the value of perseverance and pursuing opportunities. She related the award application process to the rigorous efforts her students undertake for FFA proficiency awards.
"We fill out close to 30 proficiency awards every year, and for a single chapter department, that’s a big deal," Roller explained. "It’s like an 18-page application for each area that they go in to, and they sit and they gripe, and they don’t want to put all those words into it, and all that. But then, when they get recognized at the area and the state level for what they do, then they’re appreciative of it, and just something like this, you can’t win if you don’t apply."
Roller's statement highlights her focus on teaching students not just agricultural skills, but also the life lessons of hard work, documentation, and the rewards that can follow dedicated effort.
Having secured the state title, Roller now advances to represent Missouri at the regional level. She will compete for the NAAE Region 4 Outstanding Teacher award against top agricultural educators from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio. This next stage offers an opportunity for further recognition of her contributions to agricultural education on a broader scale.
-Brandall Brake