GISD ag department receives endowment [Cleburne Times-Review, Texas]

June 22--Former Godley ISD ag teacher Jack Rowland was surprised earlier this month when several of his longtime friends and fellow board members from the AG Workers Mutual Auto Insurance Company showed up at the Area 8 ag luncheon.

Not only did they show up, they presented Rowland and GISD with a $5,000 endowment to use toward scholarships for deserving Godley High School seniors.

Rowland worked in the Godley community as an educator for 44 years. During that time, he also served on the Ag Workers board of directors, retiring this spring with 37 years of service. Because of his contributions to area ag students and the insurance company, Rowland's longtime friends said they saw it only fitting to help send those who follow in Rowland's footsteps to school, And, friends say, Rowland left big shoes to fill.

"I wasn't expecting anything like that," Rowland said. "That five thousand was unbeknownst to me."

School officials said they plan to use the money as a seed and hope to add additional funding so students could receive scholarships in Rowland's name for years to come.

"The purpose of it is to give scholarship opportunities to seniors in Godley ISD that are Godley FFA members," said GHS ag teacher Lacey Bennett. "And the recipients must exhibit qualities like Jack Rowland: dedication, loyalty, love of agriculture.

"I'm glad we can do something yearly. Since I've been here, we've given scholarships here and there, but this way it'll mean something to him and his family."

Ag Workers President Marcus Hill said Rowland was the longest-serving member of the board before he left earlier this year.

"We've hired both his grand kids as summer interns," Hill said. "They are a chip off the old block. Nobody does anything for 44 years that successfully. He is an icon. To stay in a community and to teach so many generations of kids is great."

Rowland officially left the school system on Sept. 1, 1999, and says while he doesn't miss the workload, he has many fond memories from his teaching career, which he said began July 1, 1955.

When asked how he felt about a scholarship being given in his name, Rowland said he's just glad students will be honored for their drive and dedication.

Hill said it was the least they could do for such a successful and hardworking person.

"We always reward and honor our directors," Hill said. "Sometimes we give them a gun or some other things, but we thought it would be nice to honor him among his peers."

Bennett added that the scholarship will be beneficial to the ag program because it will keep seniors working hard through the end of the year.

For more information about the donation, contact the GISD ag department at 817-389-3186 or GISD administration at 817-389-2536.

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