While students raise cattle and goats, manage greenhouses, and restore tractors, Goshen High School (GHS) agriscience teacher Christian Stanley ensures the Pike County Agriscience Academy is a well-oiled machine. Stanley teaches middle and high school students through the district’s Pike County Agriscience Academy—Alabama’s only high school agriculture education program offering college credit. Dually enrolled students can graduate with a short-term certificate or an associate’s degree in agriscience free of charge through Enterprise State Community College, where Stanley is an adjunct instructor.
Stanley teaches classes such as animal and dairy science, horticulture, landscape design, floral design, and agriscience explorations. Prioritizing hands-on learning, he guides students in managing a freight farm controlled climate agriculture system—growing hundreds of heads of lettuce weekly that supply lunchrooms throughout the community. Stanley also serves as an advisor to Goshen’s Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter. He prepares students for competitions, incorporating STEM, CTE, and career development into his curriculum. The chapter has produced winning teams, and district and state student officers.
Stanley is a leadership team member, mentors new teachers, leads professional development, and presents at state and national teacher conferences. His work contributed to GHS’ recognitions by the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools. Broadening his impact, Stanley is FFA Agriscience Education Leadership Development Event (LDE) state chair, FFA Creed Speaking LDE south district chair, south district vice president of the Alabama Association of Agricultural Educators, and serves on the Pike County Cattlemen’s Association board of directors.
Stanley maintains relationships with local farmers and community leaders to generate opportunities for students, received his CDL to drive students on trips around the community, and is the announcer at Friday night football games.
Stanley earned a Bachelor of Science in agricultural systems and education from Southern Illinois University in 2018 and a Master of Science in agriscience education from Auburn University in 2020.
Press Release: Accomplishments of Alabama Agriscience Teacher Yield Surprise $25,000 Milken Educator Award
