By Bonita Wilborn
SYLVANIA – At the DeKalb County Board of Education meeting on Thursday, August 24, 2023, the DeKalb County school system stepped into a new era in Ag by hiring its first female Ag teacher. Allison Kincer, a Geraldine native and a 2011 Geraldine graduate, will begin teaching Ag at Sylvania High School, effective September 4, 2023.
Kincer explained, “When I was in high school, I was really active in FFA (Future Farmers of America). I was a district officer and a state officer. I kind of found my passion in high school through FFA and realized that I could actually turn that into a career and stay involved in FFA and hopefully make a positive impact on people. That’s what I wanted to do. So it was through being an FFA member in high school that led me to being able to do it as a career.”
Kincer continued, “Ag is what I went to college for. All of my degrees are in Ag Education. This wasn’t a by-chance situation. It’s what I set out to do. I went to Snead State Community College and then transferred to Auburn University, where I earned my bachelor’s degree and master’s degree. Then I earned my specialist’s degree from Murray State University in Kentucky.”
While this is a new era in Ag for DeKalb County Schools, it is not a new era statewide or nationwide. Kincer started her teaching career at Scottsboro High School in Jackson County. She then transitioned to Marshall County at Albertville High School. She came back to Jackson County for a stint at Section High School. Kincer also did a stint as Ag teacher at Fort Payne High School (a school located in DeKalb County but not a member of the DeKalb County Board of Education). “My philosophy is ‘See a need, fill a need,’ and every time I’ve accepted a new position, I felt that I needed to go and do that. It’s given me the opportunity to see how several different school systems work.”
It seems that DeKalb County is not the only place that is evolving. When asked about the prevalence of female Ag teachers in other counties, Kincer stated, “When I was in high school, I knew of only a few female Ag teachers in the state, but as my career has continued, there are a lot more Ag teachers out there. In the north district of FFA, there are several females. So, it is something that has definitely expanded out. We see more girls involved in FFA and in teaching Ag, too.”
Kincer also addressed the challenges she has faced as a female doing a job in a predominately male-oriented field. “I guess if there are any challenges that come with being a female Ag teacher, there are a lot of boys in Ag. The boys would automatically assume that because I was a female, I didn’t know how to use power tools, or I didn’t know what I was doing. I really had to prove myself to them. So, being a female Ag teacher, it seems that we have to work harder to prove that we know what we’re talking about, that we care about our jobs, and we care about our students.”
Kincer has been married for ten years to another Ag geek. She explained, “My husband is also an Ag teacher. We actually met through FFA in high school.”
Other than agriculture, the Kincers’ interests include their religion. She explained, “My husband is the pastor of our church, so we’re very involved in the church as well. We love what we do. Our lives revolve around Ag and Jesus, so we can’t complain.”