Babbitt reflects on 18-year career in agricultural education

By Emmalee Parsley Stevens

Grant tribune Sentinel

After 18 years of teaching numerous agricultural education classes and advising the Perkins County FFA Chapter, Doug Babbitt is closing a chapter of his own. One that shaped countless students and left a lasting impact on the Perkins County community.

Babbitt, who retired at the conclusion of the 2025-2026 school year, said his path into education was not a traditional one. After earning a degree in agricultural economics from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, he spent decades working throughout the agricultural industry before eventually stepping into the classroom. “I originally was looking at a more economic way to get health insurance after prices rose for premiums that exceeded what our mortgage payments were,” Babbitt said.

His interest in teaching began while helping Paxton Schools as a long-term science substitute teacher. “To help out Paxton Schools, I took a long-term science sub teaching job for nine weeks and I found that I liked teaching,” he said. That opportunity eventually led him to Perkins County, where he entered the Transition to Teaching program through the University of Nebraska at Kearney while beginning his teaching career. Babbitt admitted the transition into education was overwhelming at first. “I had a new job, a FFA Chapter to run, six classes to teach, while carrying six to 12 credit hours per semester of college, and trying to still be a dad and husband with my family,” he said.

Over nearly two decades, Babbitt said the relationships he built with students and staff became the most meaningful part of his career. “The relationships with the students and staff that I made and the friendships and mentoring that made me a better person,” Babbitt said when reflecting on what stood out most during his time at Perkins County.

He also witnessed major growth in agricultural education across Nebraska. Babbitt noted the number of FFA chapters in the state has increased significantly since he began teaching. “Ag Ed is way more popular now than it was when I started,” he said. “The emphasis on our industry to spread Ag Literacy has grown and the need is even greater than ever as we all move farther from the actual production of our food and fiber.”

Throughout his career, Babbitt said his favorite part of teaching was getting to know students and hear about their ambitions. “My favorite part about working with students was getting to know them as people, listening to their hopes and dreams, and hoping to provide even a small piece of knowledge they could take with them,” he said. “The excitement of the opportunity to meet new students and discover what their passions were and then trying to unlock those hidden talents kept me motivated,” he added.

Babbitt recalled a moment in his years of teaching that perfectly sums up his entire teaching career in agriculture education. “We were at National Convention - Cooper Kroeker was throwing up the night before Market Plan presented and we were running around the city trying to get every remedy known to mankind to help someone with a gut ache. Then the first round of the Market Plan presentation, Trevor Laber announced he was positive that he had done terribly. We later found that the team pulled off 4th place nationally. That pretty much sums up my years of Ag Ed.”

As an FFA adviser, Babbitt helped guide Perkins County students through leadership conferences, competitions and conventions while also helping the chapter make an impact beyond the school walls. Some of the accomplishments he is most proud of are the chapter’s Pink Out fundraising efforts, the Katie & Michael New Chapter Scholarship that helped start six new FFA chapters in Nebraska and seeing students exceed their own expectations at state and national competitions. He also said watching former students become agricultural educators themselves has been especially rewarding. “I’m very proud to have two of my past students become Ag teachers themselves,” Babbitt said.

One memory that has remained especially meaningful to Babbitt involved former student and current FFA advisor Seth Burge and Babbitt’s son, Will, during a chapter trip to Denver for their annual High Points Trip. “Seth Burge played games with my son, Will, on that trip,” Babbitt said. “Later Will went on to become the first American Degree holder for the new Paxton FFA chapter. Will credits his time spent with Seth as one of the major factors to that success. We never know what impact we will have on others.”

Babbitt said one of the biggest lessons he hoped students learned through FFA and agricultural education was the importance of leadership and taking initiative.  “You can’t make an impact if you don’t go out and try,” he said.

While his career was filled with memorable moments and successes, Babbitt also faced challenges, particularly involving his health. “My biggest challenge was my health,” he said. “Between my diabetes, feet and heart, it sometimes was a challenging schedule to get to all the events that the Chapter had to do.” Despite those difficulties, Babbitt said the support from Perkins County Schools and the community never wavered. “I can say that the school, administration and the community were and are amazing in that support,” he said.

Now entering retirement, Babbitt said the transition has been emotional. “The last FFA banquet was emotional and so special,” he said. “I love this place so much, it was hard to walk out the door of my classroom the last time.” Although he looks forward to spending more time with his wife, Lisa, and their sons, working on the farm and pursuing entrepreneurial interests again, Babbitt said he still plans to remain connected to agriculture and FFA in the future.

As he reflects on nearly two decades in Perkins County, Babbitt said he hopes students remember one thing most. “That they remember that they mattered to me and I cared,” he said. Babbitt also offered advice to future agricultural educators.“Take care of yourself and your loved ones,” he said. “You will NEVER have everything done. Listen and care about your students and staff around you. Love what you do.”

For Babbitt, the Perkins County community became more than just a workplace over the past 18 years. “I cannot imagine a better community to have been involved with,” he said. “Perkins County is an Ag community that has supported me through some very difficult times with my health. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity I was given for the past 18 years to be a part of this program, district and in some small way the entire community. Thank you, Perkins County, from the bottom of my heart.”