Teen on track for ag career

WAPAKONETA - Sean Klaus knows where he stands. On the farm. In the field. Learning. Teaching. Building a career in agriculture.

"I'll always be involved in agriculture," Klaus, 18, said. "It's about helping out with the environment and helping people. I like the variety. I like the hands-on work, being outside, working with all the machinery, the different paperwork."

Klaus' family produces corn, wheat and soybeans. Klaus raises crossbred hogs to show at the fair. He is a 10-year member of the Waynesfield All-Round Livestock 4-H Club and president of the FFA at Wapakoneta High School, where he is a senior.

This year he showed at the Auglaize County and Ohio State fairs. He placed in the top five at state.

"Hogs are a good animal to take to the fair," Klaus said. "It doesn't take too much work to take care of them. They're easy to show. They are fun to show. The judges look at their anatomy, how they're built. In showmanship, they look at how you handle the animal and how you're dressed."

Klaus is also involved in the Junior Fair and a 4-H junior leader program.

"I like being involved in the Junior Fair," Klaus said. "You get to help people learning about farming. You get to help younger [4-H] members and you get to help with the fair. I like the fair. I spend every single day at the fair."

In FFA, Klaus earned his Greenhand and Chapter degrees. He is working on the State Degree, which is the organization's top honor. As the group's president, he is helping organize a number of events for the school year, ranging from fundraisers, such as fruit and sausage sales, to field trips, such as Farm Science Review and conventions.

"The FFA, it gets kids who aren't interested in sports involved with something," Klaus said. "It gives kids who farm some kind of activity to be in. You also get to learn hands-on stuff without going to a vocational school."

Klaus has taken up woodworking through the FFA, constructing a light stand and a shelf, which landed him a first-place win at the fair. He said he likes the smell of the wood.

Klaus plans to study agronomy and animal science after high school but has not yet decided on a university.

For fun, he drives four-wheelers and hunts raccoon, coyote and deer.

"I like being out in the woods," Klaus said. "I like the smell of the fresh air. I like seeing the wildlife. I like that you don't have to think about anything but what you're doing where you're at. It's a getaway."

Klaus is the son of John and Jenny Klaus. He has a sister, Sammie, 15.