A Good Place to Grow
When Dalton Wheeler talks about agriculture education, he does it with the kind of easy warmth that comes from growing up in a small farming community and discovering early on that hands on work can shape a person’s life. Now, as Washburn’s new agriculture education teacher and FFA advisor, he’s eager to help students find that same spark.
Wheeler grew up in Alvo, Nebraska, graduating from Waverly High School, where FFA quickly became his home base. His parents encouraged him to look beyond state lines for college, and that nudge led him to North Dakota State University — a move that set the course for his career.
Though his dad builds decks and his mom works in insurance, Wheeler said the rural community around him built a strong connection to agriculture. At NDSU, he deepened that connection, working at a sheep barn throughout college, helping with the county fair and even launching a summer agriculture camp through his FFA chapter to get younger kids excited about the industry.
He graduated with honors from NDSU, earning a degree in agricultural education and a minor in animal science. He was named a top 10 senior in the university’s College of Agriculture — an achievement he still speaks about with quiet pride.