Oklahoma CareerTech mourns loss of state leader in agricultural education
Oklahoma CareerTech is mourning the loss of former Oklahoma Agricultural Education Program Manager and State FFA Adviser Jack Staats, who died May 19.
Staats served at Oklahoma CareerTech for 13 years after a 34-year career teaching agricultural education. He retired in 2020 and was inducted into the Oklahoma CareerTech Hall of Fame in 2024.
“Jack lived with an energy and passion for life that all who knew or met him can attest to. His passion and service to family, youth, people of all ages, agricultural education and FFA and all things agriculture will be missed,” said Scott Nemecek, current CareerTech agricultural education state program administrator and state FFA adviser.
Staats began his agricultural education teaching career at Freedom High School, where he taught and served as FFA adviser for three years. He taught and advised one year at Buffalo before starting a two-teacher ag ed program at Alva High School, where he taught for 30 years before moving to Oklahoma CareerTech in 2007.
At CareerTech, he was most proud of helping create and promoting programs such as Blue Coats to White Coats with OSU medical school, AET recordkeeping system, FFA affiliated membership, national proficiency award participation and agriscience research participation.
“While I am deeply saddened by the loss of an icon in Jack, I am overwhelmed with gratitude and thankfulness for the example of service he displayed. No matter what important role Mr. Staats held, he first and foremost was an ag teacher. He was the invigorating leader for students that we all needed. May we remember the way he taught us to serve with passion and purpose,” said Brent Haken, Oklahoma CareerTech state director.
Staats’ honors included Oklahoma and National FFA VIP; Oklahoma Youth Expo and Tulsa State Fair Show honoree; National Association of Supervisors in Agricultural Education Outstanding State Supervisor, central region vice president and national president; National Association of Agricultural Educators Lifetime Achievement Award; Oklahoma Agricultural Education Teachers Association district vice president and state president; OAETA Teacher of the Year; OkACTE Agricultural Education Teacher of the Year; OkACTE state president; Inspiration Award Oklahoma Panhandle State University; and Outstanding NVATA Teacher of the Year Award.
After retiring from Oklahoma CareerTech, he served as the William Donald Campbell Family Endowed Chair professor of agricultural education at Northwestern Oklahoma State University.
“Mr. Staats dedicated his life to agricultural education, FFA and the development of young people across Oklahoma. His leadership, vision and servant heart left a lasting impact on countless students, teachers and communities,” Oklahoma FFA wrote in a post on Facebook.
Oklahoma CareerTech: Oklahoma’s Workforce Leader
The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education provides leadership and resources and assures standards of excellence for a comprehensive statewide system of career and technology education. The system offers programs and services in 29 technology center districts operating on 63 campuses, 394 PK-12 school districts, 20 Skills Centers campuses that include three juvenile facilities and 49 adult education and family literacy providers.
The agency is governed by the State Board of Career and Technology Education and works closely with the State Department of Education and the State Regents for Higher Education to provide a seamless educational system for all Oklahomans.
