Tolles CTC’s Mike Liston is a classroom teacher with extensive background knowledge about agriculture. He has an agronomy degree from the Ohio State University with a focus on turf grass, crops and soils. Before becoming a teacher, he worked with Chemlawn and did property maintenance and landscape work for Nationwide Insurance. Liston said he decided to get into teaching because he enjoyed training employees and working with youth.
Liston said, “As a person that has an agronomy degree and spent my career working in Ag related jobs, when I started teaching about 5 years ago, I learned quickly that most city kids know very little about agriculture and what it takes to produce food. I feel like part of my mission as a teacher is to be an advocate for agriculture so kids do understand what it takes to produce food and what agriculture does to protect and enhance the environment.”
Liston said he greatly enjoyed the workshop, benefiting from the chance to do activities with other teachers and learn how to present the lessons. He particularly appreciated the classroom supply kit. “The workshop experience has provided me with materials I will use with all my classes and I really appreciate all that Ohio Corn and Wheat provided.”