SHELBY — Randy Eisenhauer has worked with several generations of students while teaching agricultural education.
Eisenhauer has spent more than two decades instructing students at Shelby City Schools — while also advising Shelby High School’s FFA chapter.
On Monday, he and his students welcomed groups from Little Whippet Preschool to give a tour of the district’s agriscience center.
Seeing relatives of former students are special moments for the FFA advisor, who said it’s “always amazing” to introduce them to agriculture at a young age.
“It’s really enjoyable,” Eisenhauer said. “I think it really opens a lot of peoples eyes to agriculture.”
Monday morning tour offered interactive learning
District preschoolers began their week learning about crops, cows, goats and more.
Monday’s tour, led by Shelby FFA members, gave the young students opportunities to learn about raising different types of livestock.
Large pieces of farm equipment scattered around the Strauch Agriscience Center allowed students to gain an understanding of crop cultivation and harvesting.
Monday’s interactive field trip was a great way to display the role agriculture plays in everyday life, Eisenhauer said.
“We’re getting so removed from the farm,” he said. “A lot of them don’t understand where your food comes from — your clothing and where we get the basic essentials for each day.”
The agriscience center is within walking distance for the district’s students — which is something Eisenhauer considers an asset.
“The agriscience barn is a great vehicle for people to understand the agriculture field,” he said. “That’s why I’ve enjoyed it here and I think the little kids do, too.”
“It’s giving the high schoolers an opportunity to make a very positive influence in a lot of young kids’ futures.”
District’s campus creates new opportunities
Shelby City Schools opened a new pre-K-8 building in 2022 — bringing all district students to one campus.
Tammy Magers, Little Whippet Preschool intervention specialist, echoed Eisenhauer’s sentiments regarding the opportunities it’s launched.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity because we don’t have to setup any transportation,” she said.
“All we have to do is take a nice walk over here (agriscience center) on a beautiful day and get to experience all this with our preschoolers.”
Some of Magers’ former students are now members of Shelby’s FFA program.
“It’s nice to see them all grown up and getting ready to move on with their next step in their education,” she said.
Strauch Agriscience Center history
The Strauch Agriscience Center was established in 1999 and constructed 13 years later.
Joycelyn Strauch Benedict, a 1967 Shelby High School graduate, donated $25,000 in the late 1990s to help fund the center.
Another key figure of the center’s creation was the late Fred Cooke — a 1968 Shelby High School graduate. He taught at the district from 1983 to 2003.
Originally located on the current site of Shelby High School, the Strauch Agriscience Center was reconstructed at its new location 12 years ago.
Shelby FFA members use the facility to raise livestock in preparation for the Richland County Fair, as well as further their agricultural education.
Eisenhauer said the late Grant Milliron helped design the center — suggesting it match the facade of the nearby school buildings.
Milliron’s contributions to the structure are something many people likely aren’t aware of, he added.
“A lot of things he did, a lot of our community will never know,” Eisenhauer said.
