Katy Davis is an agriscience teacher at Suffield High School’s Regional Agriscience Center in Suffield, Connecticut. She teaches plant science, animal science, and agricultural biotechnology, advises the school’s FFA chapter, and recently secured board approval for a 2027 student trip to Iceland to expand global agricultural learning.
Some teachers cover the textbook, and then there are teachers who rewrite what a classroom can be. Katy Davis Suffield falls firmly into the second category. As an agriscience educator at Suffield High School’s Regional Agriscience Center in Suffield, Connecticut, Davis has built something rare: a program where students don’t just learn about agriculture, they practice it every single day. Her influence stretches from the school’s greenhouse to the state legislature, and her students go on to careers that feed, sustain, and shape the natural world.
Suffield, Connecticut is a small town with a deep agricultural identity. Situated in Hartford County, it has long been home to farms, forests, and a community that takes land stewardship seriously. That setting is no accident for a program like the one Davis leads. The Suffield Regional Agriscience Center serves students from ten area towns and sits inside an accredited high school of roughly 680 students. It is one of the most complete agriscience facilities in the state, and Davis is one of the reasons it earns that reputation.
This article covers who Katy Davis is, what she teaches, how her program works, and why her approach to agricultural education matters. You will also find details about her recent advocacy work, the landmark Iceland trip she proposed, and answers to the most common questions people are searching about her.
Who Is Katy Davis of Suffield, CT?
Katy Davis earned her Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Natural Resources from the University of Connecticut (UConn), where she also gained direct agricultural experience working on the university’s dairy farm. That hands-on foundation never left her. It became the core philosophy behind everything she does in the classroom.
She also obtained a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) so she could legally and safely transport students, livestock, and equipment to agricultural fairs, competitions, and educational field trips. That detail tells you a lot about her. She did not delegate logistics. She got certified herself so nothing would stand between her students and real-world learning.
She is listed among the faculty of the Suffield Regional Agriscience Center alongside Director Laura LaFlamme, Celia Wagner, Sarah Oliver, Rebecca Ferguson, and Administrative Assistant Maryellen Mercik.
Her Teaching Philosophy
At the core of Davis’s teaching approach is a straightforward principle: students learn best by doing. Whether they are tending to plants in a greenhouse, conducting animal science labs, or preparing a project for the FFA, they are always tangibly engaging with material.
This is not a philosophy limited to agriculture. It is a proven educational model. Research consistently shows that students who engage in project-based and experiential learning retain information more effectively and develop stronger problem-solving skills than those taught through lectures alone. Davis applies this daily.
What She Teaches
She teaches a wide range of agriscience topics, including plant science, animal science, agricultural biotechnology, environmental sustainability, and leadership through the FFA organization.
Her curriculum is expanding. As of December 2024, Davis was getting certified to teach Plant Breeding and Biotechnology (SPSS 3245), a UConn Early College Experience course that was previously offered as Plant Propagation in the Agriscience program. That certification places her program on par with university-level coursework, giving students college credit while still in high school.
The Suffield Regional Agriscience Center
To understand Katy Davis, you need to understand the facility she works in.
The Suffield Regional Agriscience Center is a modern, state-funded facility that includes five classrooms, a three-section greenhouse, a plant laboratory, an animal laboratory and grooming facility, and an aquatics laboratory. Students from ten towns in the Greater Hartford region attend the program under a cooperative agreement between the Suffield School System, cooperating school districts, and the Connecticut State Department of Education.
The program is designed to help students explore career opportunities in agriscience and agribusiness, preparing them for either direct employment or further education after graduation. Career tracks span a wide range: biogenetics, forestry, aquaculture, equine management, veterinary science, and business management, among others.
Here is a snapshot of what the program covers:
| Area | Examples |
|---|---|
| Plant Science | Greenhouse management, plant propagation, and biotechnology |
| Animal Science | Animal labs, grooming, livestock care |
| Environmental Science | Sustainability, aquatics, marine science |
| Business & Leadership | FFA chapter, SAE projects, agribusiness |
| College Pathways | UConn ECE courses, AP preparation |
FFA Leadership and SAE Mentorship
Davis serves as the advisor for the Suffield FFA Chapter and guides students through the Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) program. The SAE program is central to FFA participation. It requires every student to develop and carry out an individual agricultural project, from raising livestock to starting a small farm business. Davis mentors students through the entire process, from planning to record-keeping to competing at district and state levels.
Davis’s Advocacy Work at the State Level
Teaching is one dimension of Katy Davis’s contribution. Advocacy is another.
She actively lobbies at the state level to protect and expand funding for agriscience education, including testifying directly to state lawmakers about the critical role these programs play in student development, workforce readiness, and agricultural sustainability.
This kind of work rarely makes headlines, but it matters enormously. Agricultural education programs across the country have faced budget pressure for decades. According to the National FFA Organization, approximately 850,000 students are enrolled in school-based agricultural education programs in the United States. Keeping those programs funded requires teachers who are willing to speak up. Davis does exactly that.
Her willingness to engage lawmakers directly sets her apart. Most teachers advocate within the school building. Davis takes the argument to where decisions actually get made.
The Iceland Trip: A Global Classroom
One of the most recent and visible examples of Davis’s vision for her students came in June 2025.
The Suffield Board of Education unanimously approved a proposed agriscience student trip to Iceland, scheduled for April 10 through 16, 2027, after Davis outlined the educational value the trip would provide.
Davis told the board that the department plans to offer international travel every other year, giving students adequate time to plan and budget for participation.
Iceland is not a random destination. The country is a world leader in geothermal energy use, sustainable fisheries, and climate-adapted farming. For agriscience students studying environmental sustainability and global food systems, it is an ideal case study. The trip will give students direct exposure to agricultural practices that Connecticut farmers and policymakers are actively studying and adopting.
Big E Recognition
Davis’s program has also earned formal recognition through competition. In 2023, the Suffield High School agriscience program, represented by Davis, was named a winner in the Landscape Display category at The Big E, the Eastern States Exposition held annually in Springfield, Massachusetts. The Big E is the largest agricultural fair in the northeastern United States, drawing participation from schools, farms, and agricultural organizations across six New England states. Winning there is a meaningful benchmark.
Why Agricultural Education in Connecticut Matters
Connecticut may not be the first state you think of when someone mentions American farming. But it has a long and active agricultural history, and its future depends partly on programs like the one Davis leads.
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture reports that the state has approximately 5,500 farms covering nearly 400,000 acres. The average age of Connecticut farm operators continues to rise, and the need for a new generation of trained agricultural professionals is real and growing. Programs that connect young people with practical agricultural skills are not extracurricular. They are a pipeline.
Davis’s program contributes directly to that pipeline. Students leave with technical skills, leadership experience, college credits, and in many cases, a career direction they would not have found anywhere else.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Katy Davis from Suffield, CT? She is an agriscience teacher at Suffield High School’s Regional Agriscience Center. She teaches plant science, animal science, and biotechnology, advises the school’s FFA chapter, and advocates for agricultural education funding at the state level.
What does Katy Davis teach at Suffield High School? She teaches courses in plant science, animal science, agricultural biotechnology, and environmental sustainability. She is also pursuing certification to teach a UConn Early College Experience course in Plant Breeding and Biotechnology.
What is the Suffield Regional Agriscience Center? It is a state-funded facility at Suffield High School serving students from ten Connecticut towns. It includes greenhouses, animal labs, a plant lab, and aquatics facilities, and is one of the leading agriscience programs in Connecticut.
Did Katy Davis win an award at The Big E? Yes. In 2023, her program received recognition in the Landscape Display competition at the Eastern States Exposition, one of the largest agricultural fairs in the Northeast.
What is the Iceland trip she organized? Davis proposed and secured board approval for an agriscience student trip to Iceland from April 10 to 16, 2027. The department intends to offer international trips every other year to broaden students’ global perspective on agriculture.
A Teacher Who Builds More Than Lesson Plans
What makes Katy Davis Suffield worth knowing about is not a single achievement. It is the consistency of her commitment across every dimension of her work. She teaches rigorous science. She drives the bus. She lobbies legislators. She wins awards at fairs. She takes her students to Iceland.
Each of those things, on its own, would be notable. Together, they describe a teacher who understands that agricultural education is about more than crops and livestock. It is about preparing young people to lead, think critically, and contribute to a world that depends on food, land, and environmental health. In a state where the average farm operator is getting older and the agricultural workforce needs fresh energy, programs led by educators like Davis are not a luxury. They are essential.
If you are a student, a parent, or a policymaker in the Greater Hartford region, the Suffield Regional Agriscience Center deserves a close look. And Katy Davis is exactly the kind of educator you hope is on the other side of that classroom door.
