Chattooga High Welcomes Alumna Grace Dooley as New Ag Teacher and FFA Advisor

Chattooga High School has a familiar face leading its agriculture program this year. Grace Dooley, a Chattooga High alumna, has returned to her hometown school to teach agricultural education and serve as the new Chattooga County FFA Advisor.

Dooley graduated Magna Cum Laude from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) in May 2025 with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Education, and is continuing her education toward a Master of Science in Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications at Texas A&M University.

Her path into the classroom traces back to her own time as a Chattooga student. Dooley credits former teacher Mr. Barry Bailey as the driving factor behind her decision to pursue agricultural education, saying he made sure his classroom welcomed every student, regardless of whether they came from a farming background. That kindness and commitment to student involvement, she said, stuck with her long after middle school ag class and ultimately pointed her toward a career in teaching.

At ABAC, Dooley says she grew not just as a student but as an educator and individual, crediting advisors who pushed her to step outside her comfort zone — from taking challenging electives outside her major, to serving as an ambassador for the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources, to pursuing her master’s degree at Texas A&M. That experience, she said, taught her she could handle hard things even when the path forward wasn’t clear.

Walking back into Chattooga High as a teacher rather than a student has been, in her words, “almost surreal”, made easier by her familiarity with the program. However, it still took some adjusting to see former teachers as colleagues.

Dooley says she’s stepping into a program already strongly supported by students, administration, and the community, and she’s eager to build on that foundation by growing the program and offering new courses to get more students involved. She hopes every student in her classroom sees a place for themselves in FFA, whether through competing in Career Development Events, serving as a chapter officer, or simply showing up for monthly meetings.

Her advice for students unsure about a future in agriculture: take every opportunity offered to you, even if you’re not sure you fit the mold of an agriculturalist.

Chattooga County FFA has launched a new Facebook page, and community members are encouraged to follow along as Dooley begins this new chapter.