After a successful week of animal shows, rodeo performances and well-deserved recognitions for hundreds of hardworking FFA students, Katy ISD celebrated the dedication of the Gary A. Vos Project Center, named after a former FFA teacher who, to this day, continues to inspire students and staff. “I am humbled and blessed to have been a part of the growth of the Agriscience Program in Katy ISD,” said Gary A. Vos. “It is indeed an honor to have a facility dedicated in my name. I really appreciate everyone who has been involved in this process,” added Vos.
Vos’ love for agricultural sciences and FFA began during his high school years. He realized that he could combine his enthusiasm for agriculture and his passion for teaching by becoming an agricultural sciences teacher. He began his teaching career with Katy ISD in 1981, where he taught at both Taylor and Mayde Creek high schools before spending his remaining 20 years as an agricultural sciences teacher at Katy High School. Vos was instrumental in the continued success of the FFA chapters in Katy ISD. He instilled the importance of responsibility, determination, leadership and accountability in all students that he encountered. On most weekends, he could be found shuttling students around on busses to conventions and contests and loading up the cattle trailer to haul animals to the local livestock show.
Vos, along with several other teachers, laid a foundation of hard work and dedication for students, parents and the community, that continues today. This foundation has contributed to making Katy ISD one of the premier FFA programs in the State of Texas. Under his leadership, the District saw state wins among their Leadership and Career Development Events teams, as well as numerous champions in the show ring.
After 25 years of service to Katy ISD, Vos retired from teaching in 2006. He and his wife, Angela, continue to support the students who participate in the District’s Agricultural Sciences Program by sponsoring calves in the Katy ISD Rodeo Calf Scramble.
The Gary A. Vos Project Center opened in February 2019 as part of the Gerald D. Young Agricultural Sciences Center. The Vos Project Center serves as an extension to the campus classroom, as well as a research hub for students as they experience hands-on projects in the field of agricultural sciences. While the Vos Project Center’s primary purpose is to support the District’s proud history and innovative future in agricultural education, the space serves many other purposes, including a recent critical role as Katy ISD’s COVID-19 testing site.
allery of the Gary A. Vos Center
