42 March 26, 2015 2015 Logan County Farm Outlook Magazine Lincoln Daily News.com
Occasionally that student might get in trouble, but as
both Olson and Allspach pointed out, Mr. Allen would
never give a detention. “If you got in trouble you
went to the shop and did things like sweep the floor or
empty trash cans,” says Olson. Allspach concurred,
“He was going to put you to work.” Eventually that
kid would figure things out, the two farmers agreed,
smiling. “Every kid has an opportunity to belong if
they want,” emphasized Olson of the “old-school”
teacher.
Michael Jones of Mount Pulaski, also acknowledges
the impact Allen has had on his career. “Taking
Intro to Ag with Mr. Allen opened my eyes that
there is more to agriculture than farming. Efficient
bookkeeping and motivation would help you find
your spot in agriculture. You could tell through his
teaching, that Mr. Allen always wanted everyone to
find a part of agriculture that they were good at.
This was part of what encouraged me to pursue
a career in agriculture and now I’m able to teach
farmers about their GPS systems through working as
an Ag Management Solutions Consultant for Cross
Brothers Implement. I’ve found a part of agriculture
where I can make an impact and Mr. Allen was a big
influence in that.”
Sisters Elizabeth Stoll Wrage and Katheryne Stoll
Rehberg, both of whom grew up on the family farm
near Chestnut, also appreciate Allen’s influence in
their careers. Wrage, a 1999 graduate of MPHS who
works for Monsanto and has a master’s degree in Crop
Science, credits Mr. Allen with “planting the seed” in
FFA as she pursued her dreams.
Wrage set up an experiment at the FFA greenhouse
while in high school. “That interest in how plants
grow and how you can improve agriculture was my
drive,” says Wrage. She also took apart a Briggs
and Stratton motor and put it back together while in
Ag Mechanics class. Certainly something that was
outside of her comfort zone but it allowed her to gain
a confidence that has followed her throughout life.
“He offered every Ag opportunity to whoever had an
interest.
He helped me see that as a woman in Ag, I could have
a place in Ag. So I credit him with that, too. He let
me see that agriculture was bigger than just a man
operating in a field,” says Wrage.
Meanwhile Katheryne Stoll Rehberg, a 2000 graduate
of MPHS who works for ADM says, “Mr. Allen went
above and beyond in the classroom daily and he
treated students with a level of respect and trust as if
we were already responsible adults. He pushed us
to try our best and by participating in so many FFA
contests I left my small high school for college with
a confidence and public speaking experiences that
carried me through to where I am today.”
Rehberg runs official board meetings at her job and
says, “Speaking in public and running meetings is
natural and not intimidating because Mr. Allen had
us practice before and after school and we went to
competitions very well prepared.” In her new role
at ADM as the general manager of a joint venture
between ADM and Matustani, Rehberg reports to a
board. “I know how to run the meeting according
to parliamentary procedure rules because I practiced
so much with Mr. Allen. I don’t think I had any
other class that prepared me so much for real life
experiences,” Rehberg concluded.
Continued to page 43
