Lucas Brock
A CAES alumnus, Brock is an agricultural educator and FFA advisor at Central Middle School in Carrollton, Georgia, where he is recognized as the 2023-24 Carroll County Schools Teacher of the Year.
What can you tell us about your career path — how did you decide to enter into agricultural education?
I grew up on a commercial cow-calf operation and fell in love with livestock production at an early age. This led me to take every agriculture course available at Bowdon High School.
From these experiences, I fell in love with the idea of creating experiences related to every agricultural industry for students during arguably one of the most impressionable times in their lives. I must admit, I likely wouldn't have chosen this career path if it weren't for having an outstanding agriculture teacher and mentor, Ryan Ayers.
Lucas Brock is recognized with the Outstanding Senior Student Award, sponsored by the Georgia Cotton Commission, during a special celebration at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center. (Photo by Clint Thompson)
Lucas Brock is recognized with the Outstanding Senior Student Award, sponsored by the Georgia Cotton Commission, during a special celebration at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center. (Photo by Clint Thompson)
How would you explain your career path to students or alumni who are just now entering the workforce?
As an agricultural educator and FFA advisor, I help students develop practical skills, leadership characteristics and critical-thinking abilities using agriculture industries as the mode in which I teach.
Agriculture is more than simply production agriculture in which a crop is grown and sold. I create opportunities for students to recognize the opportunities that are available to them through the classification of “supporting agricultural industries” that market, promote and support the traditional agricultural practices that we most often think about.
What brought you to UGA as a student?
I knew that I wanted to be prepared to have success in the classroom and felt that UGA (and the Tifton campus especially) offered the courses, experiences and academic leadership that would allow me to be the best agricultural educator possible.
Dr. Barry Croom and Dr. Ashley Yopp were exactly what I needed as professors and are largely to credit for why I encourage every student to attend UGA.
What did you take away from your time at CAES?
If you are willing to step out of your comfort zone and try new things, CAES will connect you with highly impactful experiences and industry contacts that lead to future opportunities and successes.
If you could go back in time, what are words of advice you would give to yourself when you were in college?
I would go on more study-abroad trips!
I attended the “Sustainability of Grassfed Beef Production” study abroad program in Uruguay in 2018 and had an outstanding time. When enrolling at UGA, I didn't really think that it was possible to travel abroad and wasn't really interested in the experience either. Looking back now, I would have tried to go on a trip each year if I had it to do over again.
I now encourage students I know in the College of Ag to travel abroad during their undergraduate experience because of that trip's impact on my educational journey while at UGA.
Why did you choose your field of work?
I wanted to make a positive impact on my community.
I felt that serving as an agricultural educator and FFA advisor would allow me to combine my desire to serve others with my passion to educate future consumers about our most important industry, agriculture.
Where do you see your industry in the next 10 years? What will be some of the greatest challenges and opportunities?
I believe there will be a transition that focuses on helping students develop more technical skills in agricultural education.
Additionally, I feel that we will experience a significant expansion of programs in urban areas that want students to have a working understanding of agricultural practices that can be implemented on a smaller scale.
We must be proactive, however, to ensure future agricultural educators have the skills and knowledge needed to meet the needs of non-traditional agricultural education programs so that students have the best experience possible.
Brock, a finalist for Georgia Teacher of the Year, has been named 2023 Outstanding Early Career Teacher of the Year by the Georgia Vocational Agriculture Teacher Association. This is the second year in a row Brock has received the award.
Brock, a finalist for Georgia Teacher of the Year, has been named 2023 Outstanding Early Career Teacher of the Year by the Georgia Vocational Agriculture Teacher Association. This is the second year in a row Brock has received the award.
What is your proudest recent accomplishment?
I am proud to have been selected as one of the top 10 finalists for Georgia Teacher of the Year. I am in my fourth year in the profession and the youngest member of the 10 selected.
As a young educator, it is beyond exciting to be able to represent one of the largest demographics (teachers with less than five years of experience) in our state while also advocating for students in agriculture programs across the state.
What are you currently working on, and what is the end goal of that work?
I am currently enrolled at Auburn University where I am working on a Ph.D. in career and technical education. I hope to be able to use the knowledge and skills gained to move into administrative positions within my county over the next five to 10 years.
I am also working on establishing a 10-acre school farm at Central Middle School. In 2021, I co-authored a grant for $190,000 dollars to be used to clear and establish a production-based cattle operation on campus.
Over the past year, I have had the timber cut at the school, the land cleared, and an 80-by-60 pole barn built on campus. Over the next year, I plan to finish the project by building fences and running water lines across the property. Once complete, students within my program will operate a cow-calf operation.
What is something your colleagues might not know about you — hobbies, interests, secret talents?
I love going to the lake. One of the only places that I feel that I can completely decompress and relax is when spending time at Lake Wedowee.
I am also a classic car enthusiast. I own a 1981 C3 Corvette and hope to purchase an early 1970s model Chevy Chevelle in the next few years. Whenever I have spare time, I thoroughly enjoy playing tennis.
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