Shayla Seils - A New Face at NLHS

I believe the last time there was an agriculture program and FFA chapter at NLHS, I was still in high school. I hate to say this, but that was +50 years ago. So under the heading of “what goes around comes around” an Ag program is starting to be a must-have. After all this is Iowa.

Shayla Seils is no stranger to New London. Her mom, Julie Kolkman Seils, has deep New London roots. She graduated from NLHS in 1981. Shayla considers working at New London as “coming home.”

Her training for her new position is extensive and impressive. She is a 2017 Danville graduate. Shayla earned her AAS degree from SCC in Modern Food Production and Agriculture & the Environment. She then went to Iowa State University and graduated with a BA degree in Agricultural education and Life Sciences education with an emphasis in biology science and multi-occupations.

Shayla has been teaching agricultural education at Highland School District and serving as their FFA advisor. Living in New London and now teaching here…her commute just got a lot shorter.

She wanted to thank the entire Ag foundation, the New London administration, the school board, and the community members for their support for this program. Shayla included in her thank-you the area agriculture businesses for their contributions in establishing this program at New London.

Shayla then explained FFA. It stands for Future Farmers of America. Those three letters are part of the agricultural history and heritage and is not just for students who want to be production farmers. FFA welcomes members who aspire to be teachers, doctors, lawyers, business owners and more.

The name of the organization was updated in 1988 after a vote of national convention delegates to reflect the growing diversity and new opportunities in the industry of agriculture.

Today, the National FFA Organization remains committed to individual students, providing a path to achievement in premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.

FFA continues to help the next generation rise to meet those challenges by helping its student members to develop their own unique talents and explore their interests in a broad range of agricultural career pathways.

She said, “I am excited to introduce the field of agriculture to our students. This is done by having students participate in their supervised agricultural experience (SAE) projects, leadership development events (LDE), and career development events (CDE). That is achieved by attending sub-districts, districts, state, and national competitions throughout the school year.”

She has 115 students signed up to take Ag classes this school year, grades 7 through 12. Shayla will be teaching courses that include such titles as Survey of Animal Industry, Animal Science, and Ag Business to name a few. Her classroom is located in the north end of the elementary school.

We would like to welcome Shayla to New London in her capacity of both Ag teacher and FFA advisor. We are happy New London students will have this wonderful opportunity to expand their horizons with this new program under the careful eye of Miss Seils.

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