Name: Madison Flake

School: Hughson High School

Position: Agriculture teacher

Experience and education: B.S. in agriculture education, single subject agriculture teaching credential/ag specialist credential through California State University, Fresno. This is my first year as a teacher.

What attracted you to Hughson? I have always known that Hughson is a special place. Most of my family on my mom and dad’s side went to Hughson High School. Growing up, I didn’t go to any Hughson schools, but I sure am happy that I ended up here. I love the small-town community, how everyone is so welcoming, and now it is a place that I call home. I have been living and working here in Hughson since 2021. I formerly worked at the J&J Ramos Farms fruit stand here where I really got to see how special this community is. Fast forwarding to 2023, I was a student teacher at the HHS Ag Department, then I knew I really wanted to stay here.

What most inspires you about what you do? I am most inspired by being able to provide fun experiences for students in teaching agriculture. The hands-on learning, working in teams, and developing kids into strong leaders gives a promising hope for the future.

What is a challenge you look forward to tackling this year? I look forward to trying new strategies with my teaching style. Being a teacher is an ongoing learning process, so keeping an open mind to try new things and pushing myself out of my comfort zone is what I look forward to this year.

What is your favorite teaching tool or activity? I love having students work in groups. Seeing how students communicate with each other to accomplish the goal or complete a task is always fun to watch and learn more about student’s strengths and weaknesses.     

What do you want your students to remember? I want my students to remember the moments that shape them for their futures from the experiences they have in my classroom.

How can parents support what you do? A parent's support is vital to the success of their students in my class. They can show this by having an understanding of the rules and expectations I set in my classroom, showing their support and respect for me as the teacher, and providing positive reinforcement for their child’s success in my classroom.

What would surprise people about your job? This job is not a one-person job; it requires a team of people and community support to make it successful. With that, I am so grateful for the team of ag teachers I get to work with at HHS and the supporting community that we have here in Hughson.

What do you do for fun? I like to spend time outdoors as much as I can. I like going to the lake during the summertime and going snow skiing in the wintertime. All of which I like spending with my family and friends.