Staff writer
Longtime Centre High School agriculture instructor Cary Granzow was honored Sunday at a retirement reception at the school.
Granzow taught agriculture education and was an FFA adviser for 32 years. He is proud of the fact that five former students have followed in his footsteps and now are ag instructors themselves.
His co-teacher, Laura Klenda, and Mark Meyer of Marion are two of them. The others are Brian Nelson at McDonald County, Anderson, Mo.; Jackie Klenda at Inman; and Gloria Belton at Smith Center. Another former student, Byron Bina, taught ag education for two years at Dodge City but is not teaching now.
Granzow also has hosted 10 student teachers.
He was instrumental in developing an outstanding FFA chapter. He had the ability to see students’ talents and empower them to use their full potential.
During his tenure, seven of his students were state FFA officers and 18 received American FFA degrees.
Numerous others received state FFA degrees. Fourteen students received state proficiency awards — one a state star farmer and one a state star in ag placement (employment). Three were national proficiency-award finalists.
Nine teams in judging, parliamentary procedure, and other career development events won state titles and competed at the national level. Two teams won the national title — one in parliamentary procedure and one in ag management.
In 2005, Granzow was named affiliate Teacher of the Year by the Kansas Association for Career and Technical Education.
He was president of the association of agriculture teachers for more than 10 years. He also served on a strategic planning committee for the national FFA organization.
Overseeing the merger of the industrial arts department and the ag department was a major accomplishment.
A second instructor was hired to focus on agriculture education while Granzow focused on agriculture mechanics. The new program was approved by the board of education in May 2003. The merger was complete by the fall of 2004.
The current co-instructor, Laura Klenda, was president of the Centre FFA chapter in 2003-04, when Granzow reached his 25-year milestone.
Background
Granzow grew up on a farm northeast of Herington in the Latimer community. He said he had set his sights on farming for a living, but his father, who was a teacher at Herington Elementary School, encouraged him to go to college and study agriculture education.
He graduated from White City High School in 1975 and from Kansas State University four years later.
Granzow said he still wasn’t sure if he wanted to become a teacher. His grandfather had died, and he felt he was needed on the farm. However, the idea of teaching was solidified when he student taught under Earl Wineinger at Marion High School. He enjoyed the competitions in FFA.
“After that experience, I felt this was something I could do,” he said.
Through his father’s association with Centre USD 397 Superintendent John Kleiber, Granzow was led to apply for an opening at Centre. He began teaching in the fall of 1979.
A CHS FFA chapter had been organized the previous year as a provisional chapter. When Granzow took over, he went through the process of obtaining a charter for the chapter.
Thus began his long career in guiding students through various leadership opportunities and practical ag projects.
Granzow said teaching may have been a natural for him. While growing up as the oldest of three children, he helped supervise them in farming activities along with several cousins who worked on the farm every summer.
“I was experienced in telling people what to do,” he said.
He has his own farm and sees that as a plus in his years as a teacher.
“I could practice what I was teaching,” he said.
He enjoyed working with students who had similar backgrounds and were rooted in family. He said he ran a tight ship and was encouraged by some parents to do so.
Granzow credits his success to three things: the work ethic of the community, including parents, students, and teachers; the support of the school district, which approved trips such as going to the national convention and participating in the national western stock show in Denver every year; and the financial support that provided the opportunities for the students to travel and compete.
“FFA has always been a volunteer organization,” he said. “We try to be self-sufficient.”
The chapter receives the majority of its funding from the annual work auction, ag corporations, and individual contributions.
Granzow qualified for full retirement and decided to take the opportunity to spend more time on his farming operation. In addition to cropland, he has a small cowherd.
“I didn’t want to overstay my welcome at CHS,” he said. “I thought it was time to let someone new take over with fresh ideas.”
The past two years have been especially strenuous for Granzow. He ran a bus route in addition to his teaching duties, making for long days. He is looking forward to a more relaxed lifestyle.
He and his wife, MaryAnn, have been married 35 years. They have two married daughters and three grandchildren.
He looks forward to spending more time with his grandchildren and helping nieces and nephews with their 4-H projects. He also enjoys motorcycling and plans to do some traveling.
Granzow said he will be more involved in First Choice Meats, a meat-processing business in Herington in which the Granzows have a one-third interest.
Granzow said teaching students has been a rewarding experience.
“I’ve enjoyed seeing and watching former FFA members come back to the community to live and work and raise their families,” he said.
The board of education has hired Mark Hager, an ag educator from Oklahoma, to replace Granzow.