It takes a special someone to commit to be an agriculture education teacher. Early morning teacher meetings, busy days of creating interesting hands-on lessons for their students, most likely having to fit in driving a bus route at the end of the school day then returning to school to meet with students for a FFA contest practice or a chapter FFA meeting. The dedication of an agriculture education teacher and FFA advisor is like no other in the fieldofeducation.Agriculture education teachers work hard everyday, they care for the future of their students and provide quality experiences for everyone in their program. Agriculture educator, Laura Neislein, had each one of those qualities and more during her time as an educator. Unfortunately, on August 17, 2021 after a battle with Covid, Laura passed away and has been greatly missed by her family, friends, students, and colleagues.
Laura Neislein was a 2009 graduate of Perryville High School where she served as the Perryville FFA president. In 2015, she graduated from the University of Missouri, Columbia majoring in agriculture education. She received her first teaching job upon graduation at Albany High school. She later moved closer to home into the Southeast district teaching at New Madrid then landing at her hometown at Perryville which was her teaching goal. She taught agriculture education at Perryville Area Career and Technology Center, was the Perryville FFA Chapter advisor and drove a school bus. Laura loved teachingagriculture.Spending time with her students. Taking them on trips and getting them ready for contests. She was a member of the ADK Teachers Sorority and was a board member of the Missouri Farm Bureau.
According to Laura’s high school agriculture education teacher Hannah Fritsche-Donze, she was an exceptional student in the program that was meant for teaching agriculture. “Laura was one of those students in high school that as her Ag teacher, I knew she had the dedication it would take to be a really great ag teacher and FFA advisor and she was just that. She touched the lives of so many of us during her short time on earth and she will be forever in our hearts, said Fritsche-Donze.”
In Laura’s honor, Fritsche- Donze along with a committee from the Southeast Missouri Vocational Agriculture Teacher Association has created a scholarshipmemorial to be given to first year agriculture education teachers in the Southeast Missouri school districts. “The Laura Neislein Memorial Scholarship is given to brand new agriculture education teachers in the Southeast Missouri district to help them pay for classroom supplies or just help with college loan assistance,” said Fritsche- Donze. “The committee hosted a trivia night to help raise funds for the scholarship
funds last year and is making plans to host another one this August.”
The 2nd Annual Laura Neislein Memorial Scholarship trivia night fundraiser will be hosted at the SEMO District Fairgrounds 4-H Exhibit Hall. Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. trivia will start shortly after 6 p.m.
Along with trivia there will also be a silent auction and a free-will donation concession stand available. Coolers are welcome. $100 per table (8- 10 people) Please RSVP by Aug. 9th to Sarah Yamnitz syamnitz@meadowheights. k12.mo.us ∆
Dr. Hanna Fritsche-Donze: University of Missouri