Thorsby FFA has been through its share of success in recent years, and one of the reasons why is the relationship that has been created between advisor Brian Lucas and his students.

Lucas was recently recognized as the 2018 Alabama FFA Advisor of the Year during the state convention in June.

Members of Thorsby FFA nominated Lucas and pushed for him as a worthy candidate.

“He’s not a teacher, he’s a friend and a father figure,” Riann Green said. “If I wouldn’t have been in his class and in the ag department, I honestly don’t know where I’d be going [in life].”

Knowing that it was his students who were the ones behind the recognition made the honor even more meaningful for Lucas.

“That meant more to me than anything else,” Lucas said. “To know that they were the ones that started it. I thought that was cool, because I do what I do for them.”

According to Green, the 2018 group of officers wanted to do something special for Lucas to show him how much they appreciated him as a teacher.

The nomination remained a surprise up until the very last moment.

“I knew they were up to something, but I just know exactly what it was,” Lucas said with a chuckle. “They did a good job of keeping it under the radar.”

In many ways, Lucas’ students wanted to see him be recognized for his hard work more than he did.

“He doesn’t like to single himself out, and that’s something that he’s taught us,” Lucas said. “We knew that he would have never filled that application out if it was just up to him.”

“It’s not about you and it’s not about me, it’s about us,” is Lucas’ motto for the Thorsby FFA program.

It has remained a constant over the years and explains the team mindset that has been created over the years.

Each FFA chapter from throughout the state was invited to the convention.