During Notre Dame Regional High School’s Winter Extravaganza on January 25, the school announced it is starting an agriculture education program for the 2025-2026 school year. Tom Hulshof will lead the program as the agriculture education teacher.

An education in agriculture helps students prepare for careers in global agriculture, food, fiber and natural resource systems. The school also plans to join the Missouri Future Farmers of America (FFA) organization to give students the opportunity to explore career pathways through experiences in ag education.

“As an administrative team, we are always looking at how we can best serve our students,” said Notre Dame Principal Paul Unterreiner. “Agriculture is such a vital part of many of our students and future students’ lives. Aligned with Notre Dame High School’s mission to educate the mind, body, and spirit, an agricultural program provides our students with unique opportunities to grow as stewards of God’s creation. Through hands-on learning and leadership development, they cultivate skills, values, and innovation that will prepare them to serve their communities, the world and their Lord with integrity and purpose.”

Because of Notre Dame’s regional draw, the school community has expressed the need for an agriculture program for several years. As part of surveys and community input during the school’s 2022 strategic plan, the interest in an agricultural education program rose to the top, making it one of the 35 objectives given to the school administration to implement in the next five years.

“As we continue through our strategic plan, one of the most sensible goals that came about was offering an agricultural program and FFA,” said Notre Dame President Tim Garner. “As a regional Catholic high school, so many of our students come from communities closely tied to agriculture. Their families are passionate about agriculture and about Notre Dame High School. As we move in this direction, our students will be exposed to all the fantastic opportunities that these programs represent. Practical skills and trades-based education are such an important part of FFA and are so vitally needed in our community.”

Notre Dame Regional High School announced it is starting an agriculture education program, led by Tom Hulshof. Pictured: Hulshof (left) and Bishop Edward Rice at Notre Dame’s Winter Extravaganza on January 25, 2025.

Notre Dame is also in the process of creating an advisory board of leaders in the region that can provide valuable insights to the agricultural industry, and make recommendations for the school’s approach to ag education.

“We hope that this will allow us to partner with our regional businesses to offer our students first hand experiences and possible careers,” said Garner. 

Tom Hulshof to Lead ND Ag Program

Notre Dame has hired Tom Hulshof to lead the program for the 2025-2026 school year.

Hulshof was born and raised on a farm in Scott County and attended St. Denis Catholic grade school, graduating from Kelly High School in 1983. He has a bachelor of science from the University of Missouri-Columbia in agriculture education and agriculture economics, and both a masters and specialist degree in education from Williams Woods.

Hulshof has spent 29 years in education. He was the agriculture teacher and FFA advisor at both Oran High School and Kelly High School, followed by nine years as the principal of Kelly High School. Hulshof was also employed as the agriculture education teacher and FFA advisor at the Perryville Career Center. He retired from teaching in 2020 to work at Hulshof Farms.

“Although I was enjoying retirement and working on our family farm,” said Hulshof. “I felt a calling to get back into agriculture education. After lots of prayer, I am excited to become a part of the ND team. It will be an honor and privilege to work with the students and faculty of Notre Dame. I know that the community and parent support are outstanding at ND.”

Hulshof has three children. Nathaniel graduated from Notre Dame in 2019, Abigail in 2021, and Sara is currently a sophomore.

“Notre Dame is an amazing school,” he said. “When my children graduated from ND, I knew that they were prepared to go to college, or pursue any career they wanted. However, as the school has expanded its footprint, there are many students from an agriculture background that are not able to participate in FFA activities or explore possible careers in the agriculture industry. Student surveys have shown that there is tremendous interest in agriculture education at Notre Dame.”

Garner said Notre Dame is blessed to have Tom Hulshof lead the school’s agriculture education program.

“Tom provides valuable experience in FFA and is well connected and respected by those at the regional and state level,” said Garner. “Tom understands the importance of combining his faith with his calling. His experience as a local administrator will also help the decision making for this program. We are excited to have him join our faculty and cannot wait to see the wonderful impact that he will have with FFA and with our school.”

For the 2025-2026 school year, Notre Dame will offer Agricultural Science I and II, Agribusiness Sales Marketing and Management, Agricultural Construction, Animal Science, and Horticulture.

“The agriculture industry in Southeast Missouri is so diverse,” said Hulshof. “We have all types of agriculture businesses, and the opportunities for students are endless. Agriculture education takes what students have learned in science, math or English class, and they apply their knowledge in the ‘real world’, whether they are growing plants in a greenhouse, building a project in the shop, or participating in a public speaking contest at an FFA competition. Hopefully the Notre Dame agriculture program will be able to spark an interest in students to pursue a rewarding and challenging career in the growing and ever-changing agriculture industry. I think the FFA motto sums it up best: ‘Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve.’”

Proceeds from the Winter Extravaganza’s “raise the paddle” are going to the startup fund for the new ag program. Over $39,000 were raised at the event. If anyone is interested in assisting the school with land, equipment, providing hands-on farming experiences for our students, or financially, please contact the school’s Advancement Office at 573-335-3416 or donate to the startup fund at www.notredamehighschool.org/winter.