Fellow Kansan,

Agriculture is the heartbeat of the Big First District. Each month, I highlight the life and work of Kansas ag heroes – the people who make our state the pilot light of America and who inspire me to continue fighting for Kansas farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers. 

Yours in service,

Mann.House.Gov

Kansas Ag Hero of the Month:

Kara Quilter

As Kansas students return to school each August, thousands of young people walk into agriculture classrooms and FFA chapters that shape the course of their lives. For students in Ellsworth, that experience begins with Kara Quilter.

Kara grew up on her family’s farm in central Kansas, where she helped raise commercial Angus cattle as part of their cow-calf operation. In high school, she convinced her dad to add goats to the mix so she could develop her own 4-H and FFA projects. She eventually ran breeding programs for other youth and launched a small business as part of her FFA Supervised Agricultural Experience. From her earliest years, Kara lived and breathed agriculture: she rode horses with her grandparents, helped with chores across the grounds, and competed in nearly every contest and event FFA had to offer. Those formative experiences taught her hard work, adaptability, and the value of leadership rooted in service.

Now, as an agricultural educator and FFA advisor at her alma mater, Ellsworth High School, Kara is helping shape the next generation of Kansas agricultural leaders who will one day feed, fuel, and clothe the world.

Kara works alongside her former teacher and mentor, Karl Dawn Stover, to lead one of the top FFA chapters in Kansas. Under their guidance, the Ellsworth FFA chapter has earned the Kansas FFA Triple Crown in five of the past seven years—an award recognizing the state’s highest-performing chapter across the areas of community building, leadership development, and agricultural education. But Kara is quick to credit her students, explaining that their strong reputation is the result of hard work, fresh ideas, and overwhelming support from the community.

Ellsworth FFA is known across Kansas for its strong officer teams, diverse programming, and broad support from local families and businesses. Whether it’s livestock judging, agricultural communications, horticulture, or natural resources, students at Ellsworth are encouraged to explore their interests and challenge themselves through hands-on learning. Kara teaches courses like animal science, intro to agriculture, horticulture, and wildlife management, while also co-leading chapter events and career development teams. Her students learn more than technical knowledge; they build confidence, form lifelong friendships, and gain leadership experience.

As a teacher, Kara draws on her own farm background to connect with students in a meaningful way. She hopes to own her own farm someday, both to stay involved in production agriculture and to give students a firsthand look at modern cattle operations. One of her goals is to host students on her future operation to teach them practical, day-to-day skills. She also looks forward to raising goats again, just as she did growing up. 

This fall, Kara is especially excited about her younger officer team, whose creativity and energy are already shaping the year ahead. Their fresh ideas and use of new technology allow Kara to grow alongside her students and continue evolving as an educator. For her, agricultural education isn’t just a subject to teach; it’s a calling. It’s about investing in people, passing on knowledge, and creating opportunities for the next generation to succeed.

Kara Quilter embodies what it means to serve. Through her work as a teacher and advisor, she is preparing the young people who will carry Kansas agriculture forward, helping them discover their voice, their confidence, and their place in the world. That is why she is this month’s Kansas Ag Hero. 

Thank you, Kara, for your leadership, your commitment to students, and the example you set for the Kansas agriculture community. It is an honor to serve you as co-chair of the Congressional FFA Caucus and represent you in the House of Representatives.

Do you know someone who is a Kansas Ag hero?

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