ELKTON, Ky. – Today, Arthur Green is mayor of Elkton. Many folks growing up in Todd County, however, will always remember Green as their ag teacher.

Green taught high school agriculture in Todd County for 33 years (1973-2006). Green’s influence on generations of community members as a teacher, an active member of his church, the country judge executive, and now as the mayor, is evident in his dedication and service to others.

And Green hasn’t stopped giving to others. Recently, Green donated $30,000 to the Kentucky FFA Foundation’s Forever Blue Fund. His contribution will benefit Todd and Lyon counties.

His gift will support student opportunities in the Growing Leaders category. For the first five years, Green’s donation will be earmarked for the Todd County Central High School’s FFA chapter, as well as for an annual FFA camp scholarship for a student from Lyon County (Green’s childhood home). After that, funds from his donation will be available to FFA members from Pennyrile or Purchase regions of Kentucky.

“My blood runs blue and gold, because of FFA and Murray State,” Green said. “It all started when I entered high school in Lyon County. I enrolled in the ag program and FFA. At that time, there were two ag teachers. You got one ag teacher as a freshman and kept that same teacher all the way through high school.”

Rolled out just last year, the Forever Blue program is unique in that donors can designate exactly which chapters their gifts should benefit, and in what area – Growing Leaders, Strengthening Agriculture or Building Communities. The donation is invested with the FFA Foundation’s larger endowment, which offers management and investment advantages, and the dividends from that gift go back to the designated FFA chapter or chapters.

“My ag teacher was Clyde Grace, Jr., and like many former FFA members would say, he and his wife and kids became like family to me,” Green said. “I grew up on a small farm in Lyon County and back in those days I would have liked to farm. I knew that wasn’t going to be possible, so I looked for ways to stay connected to farming, so I went to Murray State and got my degree in ag education.”

After graduating from Murray State, one of his professors told him about an opening in Todd County. Green applied and has spent the last 48 years positively influencing his adopted community.

“I loved the opportunity to do what I hope was impacting students’ lives,” Green said. “I wanted to give them a vision of the possibilities that were out there. I know a lot of the students I had in class weren’t going to be connected directly to ag, but they needed the skills FFA provides, things like speaking, record keeping, being able to work cooperatively on projects. More importantly, they needed to know they don’t have to be stuck. There’s a whole world out there, if you strive and work and seek advice.

“Every student I ever had wanted the same two or three things: a job or something that would help them make money, family and to be loved and accepted. Those three things haven’t changed.”

Over the course of his career, Green took an active role in supporting his fellow Kentucky agriculture teachers. He was president of the Kentucky Association of Agricultural Educators and served with the Kentucky FFA Alumni Association and the Kentucky FFA Foundation’s Board of Directors. He also served in leadership of the Kentucky Retired Teachers Association and spent 10 years on the Kentucky Teachers Retirement System Board.

Bradley McKinney is an agriculture teacher at Rowan County High School in Morehead, Ky. McKinney was a student of Green’s.

“Some people are just kind of like the moral compass around you,” McKinney said. “I had support at home, but Mr. Green was that for me at school. He told me I had what it took to be a leader, but I didn’t see that in myself. He was just always trying to make you a little more well-rounded.”

Green’s generosity is very appreciated by FFA members in this part of the state and elsewhere. “Mr. Green is a person who has lived a true life of service in every way you can count,” said Sheldon McKinney, executive director of the Kentucky FFA Foundation. “He has influenced agriculture in Todd County for generations.”