The early morning breeze blows through the door as people shuffle in the barn. Showmen rub the sleep out of their eyes. The cedar shavings crunch under her feet as she makes her way through the sea of animal pens. She overlooks them with pride one last time before taking her place by the edge of the arena to cheer on her students.

Before Jennifer Warren became one of Canyon’s agriculture teachers this year, she was once in the same position as her students.

“If it wasn’t for FFA, I definitely wouldn’t be the person I am,” Warren said. “My freshman year, I was the soft-spoken, quiet person that sat in the corner and didn’t give a peep. My ag teacher definitely molded me into the way I am.”

Warren graduated from Texas A&M University and taught at James Madison High School while earning her masters at West Texas A&M University. After four years, she returned to Canyon to teach.

“When I did my masters at WT, I spent a lot of time here,” Warren said. “I always had the desire to be in Area I. On top of that, why wouldn’t I want to be in one of the best chapters in the state and to be with a group of teachers that have a true passion for kids and success?”

Warren teaches Animal Science, Livestock Production and Veterinary Medicine, as she has for three years.

“I’ve definitely enjoyed teaching Vet Med this year,” Warren said. “It’s a lot more hands on than my other classes, and there’s a lot more interest in that area.”

Warren said her main focus through the agriculture department is to develop students and show them they have abilities outside their own thoughts.

“You always have the goal of being the best and going to state and winning state,” Warren said. “When I put a team together, it’s not to win, but to push them out of their comfort zone and develop those skills.”

Even though Warren is involved in agriculture, she also takes part in different hobbies and projects.

“I’ve learned in my five years of teaching I have to take time for myself, and sometimes, I have to turn my phone off,” Warren said. “My favorite things in the world are to spend time with my family and to do craft projects. It’s my release. I just jam out to some music and do something creative.”

Warren said being involved in the ag department develops skills needed in the professional world. 

 “Those are the things other programs don’t teach you,” Warren said.”Things like having the opportunity to compete in speaking events and compete in livestock judging and make choices–sound choices–with logic.”

As a way to impact her students, Warren said she spends a great amount of time with her students outside of class.

“As an ag teacher, I want kids to look back in life and go, ‘You know what; it helped me find an interest I didn’t know about,’” Warren said. “‘If it wasn’t for the ag program, I wouldn’t have been pushed out of my comfort zone.’”