Miller to be second Ash Grove agriculture educator

For the first time, growing Ash Grove ag department has two instructors, FFA advisors
Ash Grove High School will have a new, additional agriculture educator and FFA advisor in the 2025-26 school year. Abigail Miller, of Eldon will join the school’s ag department, where she will work alongside advisor Nathan Isakson, who has been with the school since 2014. It will be the first time in the school’s history that the department has had two advisors.
Miller, a recent graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia, said she has an extensive background in agriculture.
“I grew up outside of Eldon, Mo., about 20 minutes north of the Lake of the Ozarks and attended Eldon High School, graduating in 2021,” she said. “From there, I went to the University of Missouri in Columbia and started in animal science before switching to agricultural education after my freshman year. I graduated with my bachelor’s in ag ed and a minor in international agriculture in May. My parents, brother, and I raise seedstock Red Angus and SimAngus cattle, and I’ve shown cattle, hogs, and goats on the local, state, and national levels.”
Additionally, Miller said, she was very involved in the FFA chapter at her high school.
“I was in FFA in Eldon for all four years of high school and continued to be involved after I graduated,” she said. “I served as our chapter President, Area 8 President, and as the Missouri FFA State First Vice President (during) my freshman year of college.”
Daughter of ag educator
As the daughter of an ag educator herself, Miller said watching her father, as well as her own ag educators at Eldon High School, influenced her decision to become a teacher.
“I got to grow up watching the impact (my father) had on his students,” she said. “That really stuck with me. I was also fortunate to have some incredible ag teachers of my own in high school who believed in me and pushed me to be the best version of myself. Now, I want to pay that forward and be that kind of influence for my students.”
As part of her teacher training, Miller did a student teaching practicum in Hermann. She described the experience as “truly excellent.”
“I had the opportunity to work with a great group of students who were eager to learn and get involved,” she said. “My cooperating teacher was Mrs. Tracy Vedder, but I worked with all three (ag) teachers. The support I received from them made a huge impact. I always felt encouraged and like I was an integral part of the team. It was a great environment to grow in as a new teacher.”
Drawn by Ash Grove’s reputation
Miller said she wanted to teach at Ash Grove High School because of the ag department’s reputation and because the community mirrored the one in which she was raised.
“I decided to come to Ash Grove for several reasons,” she said. “I knew I wanted to be part of a well-established program that was already doing awesome things, and Ash Grove immediately stood out. I also knew Mr. Isakson and what a rockstar teacher he is, so getting the opportunity to work with him was a big part of my decision. But, just as important, Ash Grove is the kind of close-knit, small-town community that I’ve always valued. It feels like the perfect place to call home.”
Classes slated, ‘hit the ground running’
When the school year begins, Miller will teach six classes: Ag sales, Greenhouse, Plant Science, 8th Grade Exploring Ag, Middle School Conservation, and Middle School Woodworking. She said she is looking forward to meeting her students.
“I’m most excited to meet and work with the awesome students in our classes and FFA chapter,” she said. “I can’t wait to get in and really hit the ground running with them. I am also looking forward to jumping into FFA events, contests, community events, and most importantly, hands-on classroom learning. There’s something really special about watching students grow in confidence and skill, and I can’t wait to be part of that journey.”