Positive impact of Rock Bridge ag ed teacher goes beyond the classroom

by Katlyn Britt-Rankin, posted Nov. 16, 2011

"Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve" is the motto that FFA teaches its members to live by. Columbia Public Schools instructor, Larry Henneke, exudes the lifestyle by ensuring the success of his students.

Henneke graduated from the University of Missouri in December of 1981 with a bachelor of science in animal science and earned his master's in agricultural education in 1989. He has taught students for 25 years and still has passion for what he does.

"My most enjoyable part of teaching is working one-on-one or in team settings with students," Henneke said. "I love to see them achieve goals and have success at whatever level they can achieve."

Students, both current and past, know he loves his job by the excitement and enthusiasm he brings to the classroom every day. Henneke is known for being somewhat of a class clown, but always manages to get the material across.

"How many times a day does he say, 'did I mention I love my job'," said Caroline Sicht, Rock Bridge High School graduate.

"He manages to earn the respect of students by treating students as equals and not talking down to them," said Cooper Martin, Hickman High School graduate. "His ability to have fun and still teach really sets him apart."

Henneke's fervor for laughter in the classroom is known to many mid-Missouri students because Henneke is a teacher at Columbia Public Schools and the Columbia Career Center. The Career Center serves students from Southern Boone, Christian Fellowship, Columbia Independent, Douglass Alternative, Hallsville, Fr. Tolton, Hickman, Rock Bridge and home school students. Henneke also teaches some of the vocational agriculture courses offered through the Career Center.

"You could tell he cared about everyone," said Kayla Martin, former student. "He would go out of his way to talk to you if he saw you outside of school."

Martin is not the only former student who recalled him going out of his way to support his students. Several students remember Henneke attending their graduation party or performing farm visits to make sure their Supervised Agricultural Experience project was going well. He even attended senior night for the Hickman girl's basketball team because one of his students was playing.

"He is the reason I have confidence in myself and believe in myself," said Ben George, Hickman High School graduate.

This comes as no surprise because Henneke can often be found in the classroom practicing with his teams until 10 o'clock at night. Henneke is one of three agriculture instructors that coach Career Development Event (CDE) teams for the Columbia FFA. According to the National FFA website, CDE's such as Natural Resources, Nursery and Landscaping, Dairy Judging, Livestock Judging and Floriculture help students develop the abilities to think critically, communicate clearly and perform effectively in a competitive job market.

Henneke has coached 26 national teams consisting of 15 national champions and two reserve champions. The nine other teams all placed in the top 10 at National FFA Convention.

Henneke's impact on students carries on after the classroom and into the real world. Several alums feel that the information they learned from his courses were more beneficial than the information taught in core classes.

"He was fun to be around, never in a bad mood, loved to joke, but at the same time you were learning," Martin said.

"Henneke really brought me out of my shell and taught me how to be a leader and express myself in a positive way," said Rachael Shields, former student and now, promotional staff at Big Game Treestands. "I know that I can carry on an educated conversation with my colleagues and many of the subjects discussed are those taught by Mr. Henneke."

The compassion for Henneke extends past the classroom and into the community because of his charismatic personality. Parents and other leaders throughout Boone County admire Henneke for the commitment and devotion he puts into his student's success.

"Parents readily notice and appreciate the extra attention he gives to their children," said Kathy Sicht, parent of a Rock Bridge student. "I've never heard anything but extreme praise for him."

The appreciation for Henneke is deep and many of his students feel no one is more worthy. The extra hours at work may not bring home a bigger paycheck for Henneke, but the gratitude of his students grows exponentially each year.

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