Bill Loveridge teaches agriculture and coaches soccer at Loyalton High School in the small town of Loyalton northwest of Lake Tahoe. We followed Bill around for a couple of days to see what makes him tick. After all, agriculture isn't high on the list at most high schools, but Bill's a true believer. Bill says, "Of course, the most successful thing you can do in the world is teach agriculture."

In addition to teaching various classes, Bill acts as the advisor to Future Farmers of America. Like the title says, this organization encourages young people to seriously consider careers in agriculture, where Bill says jobs go begging

"Right now, we are providing students with an outstanding education, preparing them for great careers in a field where there's a ton of opportunities", said Bill.

Students in FFA are in good company. Future Farmers of America has provided our country with many government and business leaders. "Probably the most notable is President Carter. First elected office was the president of Plains, Georgia FFA", says Bill.

On this day Bill and about fifteen of his students went on a field trip to a nearby ranch. They were rounding up heifers for inoculations. Bill said, "Some of these kids, first time they've touched a cow, and some you can see are pretty adept already. But even just learning to move them from one point to another becomes a skill." But Bill wants to give his students more than just hands on experience. The most important part of his job, of any teacher's job: "If we can get them out of the program and out of high school with citizenship skills, leadership skills that we want all these guys to have, that we want any citizen to have, and have an appreciation and a knowledge of agriculture, then I don't think we're unsuccessful", says Bill.

In fact, Bill has been very successful. A number of his students have pursued agriculture as a career. One of them even took Bill's old job as the "ag teacher" at a high school in the Sacramento Valley.

And what about Bill's two kids? Says Bill, "My own kids don't have agricultural aspirations right now, but they see the value of being in the program. My daughter, whose FAA president right now, wants to be an elementary school teacher. My son has aspirations of going into the Air Force Academy and getting into the space program."

Whether he's working in the field…or coaching on the playing field Bill Loveridge has touched a lot of lives…He's a man who's making a big difference in a small town.