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Wheels Keep on Turning (Video)
Chelsea Dickens
Sat, 12 May 2018 20:25:36 EDT
click on the picture to enlarge
Don Wheeler, is a man of many names and titles known across the state as one of the greatest Ag Teachers, and possibly the most unconventional.
Wheeler has never been one to shy away from answering any question or from broaching any subject. He calls many of his mistakes and failures part of learning and more frequently, "isolated incidents."
Wheeler graduated from Brown City High School and was determined to have some type of career in agriculture. At first, it was turf grass management, but with much coercion on behalf of his parents, like many young people, he was steered quite literally into agriculture education.
Don was a teacher for forty years at Laker Schools, and as he jokes "I've been an Ag teacher longer than I've been married." His wife Donna Wheeler was part of his move to the area as she also took a job within the district silmultaneously. Don was hired just after graduating MSU and as part of working in Agriculture the job was a year round venture. They married on July 27th, 1974 and that year the Huron County Fair started July 28th, so naturally their honeymoon would be at the fairgrounds.
Donna, as well the two's children, have always been a part of the success of Don as a part of his family. As Don put it, his first group of students he came to know as friends, and then a part of his family. His son, James David, was named so from a former student. Naturally, Don has it right, his methods developed as did the friendships amongst his family and the students and that created a strong program and a successful career as an Ag Teacher. Many of his former students have returned to live and raise families in the area and formed a program and community which, without Don, might not be what it is today.
A video is attached of Chelsea Dickens' interview with Don.
