Two agricultural education teachers were recently named to the National FFA Organization’s Board of Directors. Kurt Dillon, of Kansas, and Matthew Eddy, were both recognized for their skills and reputations within the realm of agricultural education, and will begin to serve in new leadership roles as board members for FFA.

Dillon grew up in a rural area of northeast Kansas, where he was involved in FFA throughout his high school career, and attended Kansas State University, where he earned a bachelors degree in agricultural education, a master’s degree in adult education, and a licensure in biology and building leadership (administration).

Dillon taught at Atwood High School, in Rawlins County, Kan., for 27 years. He also served as the school’s principal for three years, and is currently the adult education program and Kansas FFA advisor for the Kansas State Department of Education.

Eddy grew up on a diversified farm south of Osceola, Iowa, where he graduated from Clarke Community High School. He attended Iowa State University, where he received his bachelor’s degree in 1999, and his master’s degree in 2008. He currently teaches at Southeast Polk Community Schools, in Pleasant Hill, Iowa, where he is a CASE Certified Master Teacher and holds certification in agriculture, food and natural resources, animal science, plant science and biotechnology.

Eddy has authored the governor’s STEM Scale-Up Program grants, which have secured more than $2.5 million dollars for Iowa agriculture programs to participate in adopting the CASE model since 2012, and his FFA chapter, Southeast Polk FFA, is one of Iowa’s largest chapters. Each year at the Iowa State Fair, Southeast Polk hosts the Animal Learning Center, a 132-hour display operation that requires chapter members to care for livestock, interact with the public, and help be a voice for agriculture.