Award-Winning Ag Teacher Explains Why Hands-On Learning Works

One great teacher can change the arc of a life, and you can hear exactly how that happens in our latest WHKP Hometown Hero conversation. We start with a quick, practical Henderson County real estate update, including what we’re seeing with home sales, prices, and low inventory in Western North Carolina. Our view stays consistent: the market is the market, rates are rates, and life keeps happening, which means real estate decisions still need clear data and a steady hand.

Then we welcome our Hometown Hero guest, Matthew Rollins, agriculture teacher at East Henderson High School and District Career and Technical Education Teacher of the Year. Matthew breaks down what Career Technical Education (CTE) really is, why it matters for students who do and do not plan to go to college, and how one high school ag teacher gave him the career direction that shaped his entire future. If you care about public schools, workforce readiness, and community growth in Henderson County, his perspective is worth your time.

We also dig into FFA and the surprising skills it builds: public speaking, confidence under pressure, and the ability to explain your thinking clearly. Matthew shares what makes hands-on learning so effective, plus a story about a student written off as a troublemaker who found a path, built a successful adult life, and still stays in touch. And for a simple way to support students right now, we highlight East Henderson’s plant sale, featuring flowers, vegetables, and hanging baskets grown by the students themselves.

If you like this kind of local storytelling and useful real estate insight, subscribe on your favorite podcast app, share the show with a friend, and leave us a review so more people in Flat Rock, Hendersonville, and beyond can find it. What teacher gave you direction when you needed it most?

Transcript

Ten Years On WHKP

SPEAKER_02 0:00

The George Real Estate Group Radio broadcast is celebrating 10 years on WHKP. The George Real Estate Group is celebrating 10 years on the radio live every Thursday morning at 10.05 on WHKP 107.7 FM and AM 1450, and streaming online at WHKP.com. Each Friday morning at 8.45, the George Real Estate Group presents the Hometown Hero Award to someone in our community who goes above and beyond to make our hometown a better place to live. Here's this week's Hometown Hero Show. It's 8 45 on Friday morning, and that is always our George Real Estate Group Hometown Hero Series time. And we always welcome Noah George. How are you doing, friend? Good morning. Doing fantastic, actually. What a great day it is. You uh you came floating in here this morning after I was here yesterday when you did your radio show. Uh they held me over after class yesterday.

SPEAKER_01 1:05

We had a great radio show yesterday. Yeah, we they they did hold you over. Uh you're usually you've already had a full day by the time I saw you after my show. But we're here every Thursday morning right after the 10 o'clock hour. I've been doing that radio program since 2011.

SPEAKER_02 1:19

Wow.

Real Estate Market Snapshot

SPEAKER_01 1:20

And uh, you know, talking, sharing positive news. If you remember back in 2011 and 20 uh 12, it was rough. I mean, the market was pretty tough, and so we focused on my tagline was positive news in the real estate market.

SPEAKER_02 1:33

We still got positive news in the market, right?

SPEAKER_01 1:36

We do. In fact, the market in Henderson County, there's been a hundred more homes sold in the last 12 months than the previous 12 months. Prices are holding, inventory levels are still low, and again, for buyers and sellers, the market's the market, the interest rates are the interest rates, but we know life happens, therefore real estate happens. It doesn't matter what's going on in the economy, real estate's still moving, and it's just the data's the data, and we adjust and we pivot, and uh you know, and we've helped a lot of families through the years helping with them buying and selling real estate.

SPEAKER_02 2:06

Big time in everybody's life when that change occurs, and it's good to have a steady hand to hold right through the whole process.

SPEAKER_01 2:14

It really we we it's a privilege and honor to help our clients navigate through it. It could be your personal home, it could be uh estate planning with real estate, it could be real estate you've inherited, it could be commercial. I mean, the whole gamut. We're grateful to work with our clients. And we have an incredible team, incredible staff. We're located on the dangerous uh Rainbow Road and Flat Rock between the Hubba Hubba Barbecue, uh Campfire Grill, the Flat Rock Bakery. Bakery. It's a dangerous place for an office.

SPEAKER_02 2:41

No, I don't know. Uh yeah, I couldn't handle that. My doctor couldn't handle that.

Team Updates And Open House

SPEAKER_01 2:46

We have a lot of fun and we're just so grateful and to serve the community. We have great agents, great staff, and ultimately great, great clients. I want to say we have an open house tomorrow. Uh open house from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 10.32 Brightwater Drive. Uh Michelle's gonna be hosting it. This property's amazing. The the porch is almost as big as the uh half the house. Really? It's a screened-in, uh vaulted ceiling porch with a fireplace, and you can see the view, and you're close to the Acusa Trail. Uh and it's a great price.$3.95, spectacular home, 1032 Brightwater Drive. Come out tomorrow morning, 10 a.m. to 12.

SPEAKER_02 3:25

That sounds a very nice place.

SPEAKER_01 3:27

It's amazing.

Meet Hometown Hero Matthew Rollins

SPEAKER_02 3:27

Well, Matthew Rollins is here, and he's the uh agriculture teacher at East Henderson High School. Matthew, good morning.

SPEAKER_00 3:35

Good morning, Randy. Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_02 3:37

Thank you for coming out, and uh thank you for what you do. We uh you blipped up on my radar uh a few weeks ago when uh I noticed that you had been awarded the uh District Career and Technical Education Teacher of the Year Award. Congratulations.

SPEAKER_00 3:55

Thank you, sir. I appreciate it. It was an honor.

SPEAKER_02 3:58

That uh really uh caught my eye. Uh so tell us how you got that, what it is, and and how you know what you do.

SPEAKER_00 4:06

Well, Henderson County does an excellent job of recognizing teachers uh and their accomplishments, and so I was very grateful when they came a couple Fridays ago, the administration came down and made me aware of it. So uh it was an honor and a surprise for sure. I mean, I'm thankful for it though.

SPEAKER_02 4:23

Well, you uh are the ag teacher at East Henderson High.

SPEAKER_00 4:27

I'm one of the ag teachers. One of the yeah, yeah. We actually have a two-teacher program, and uh Miss Thompson is there with me. And so it's a a very active and growing program, and it's pretty good.

SPEAKER_01 4:38

How long have you been in been teaching and then how long have you been teaching at East?

SPEAKER_00 4:42

Uh absolutely. So I started teaching my teaching career back in 2002, uh, and I taught in Greenville, South Carolina, down there for about 18 years until I then came up here and I've been here for four years in Henderson County.

SPEAKER_01 4:56

Fantastic. How did you specifically get into the agricultural uh program?

SPEAKER_00 5:01

You know, it's funny. Beforehand we were talking, I didn't grow up uh in an ag with an ag background. Uh my mom was actually in radio what we were talking about, my dad worked for the government. Um, but it wasn't until high school uh that I got into one of these CTE classes, and I had an amazing ag teacher, uh, and he gave me career direction. And for me, uh that's what drives what I do now is you know, hope the hope of giving these students career direction. And so my ag teacher was awesome. He showed me the path to success in reference to becoming a teacher, and here I am. And he and I actually got to work together for uh 10 or 12 years, which is really neat.

CTE And Finding A Career Path

SPEAKER_02 5:39

Yeah, you bet. Well, you said it was the CTE program. What is that?

SPEAKER_00 5:44

So career technical education. So this includes most of your like woodworking, your nursing, your business, all those types of classes.

SPEAKER_02 5:51

Okay, and so uh that really spoke to you. I I totally understand that because uh I was a student of the AG class in my high school, and uh that introduced me to the FFA chapter, Local Future Farmers of America. And in that chapter, uh what developed for me was public speaking.

SPEAKER_00 6:15

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 6:16

And we uh, you know, uh nothing well it was I didn't want to say nothing to do with agriculture. Of course, we we had to do agriculture and learned a lot about it. I grew up on a farm, but uh the diversion it took for me into public speaking, and we pretty good at it, uh I must say. It was kind of something that came natural, and uh we got on this circuit uh competing in uh FFA competitions all around the Southeast.

SPEAKER_00 6:44

Nothing's changed.

SPEAKER_02 6:45

Nothing's changed.

FFA Builds Real-World Confidence

SPEAKER_00 6:46

I was with a student yesterday afternoon after school and we were working public speaking skills. Come on. So I love it. The aspect of you know the FFA and agriculture itself, it's such a broad thing, and we get to do so many neat things. So we have uh prepared public speaking, extemporaneous speaking, uh creed speaking, all different and then within the other uh career development events like livestock judging, they have to give oral reasons. And so I tell my students you may not go into agriculture, right? But you're gonna take the skill set with you and who knows where you're gonna end up.

SPEAKER_02 7:19

I'm Robin.

SPEAKER_00 7:20

And so I love it.

SPEAKER_02 7:21

I love it. I'm a witness.

SPEAKER_01 7:23

I mean, it's amazing the CTE programming, again, giving uh students skills, real life skills they can take into the workforce. Not all not all kids go to college. I mean, this is critical.

SPEAKER_00 7:35

It's great. You know, to see a kid's eyes light up with direction, that's why I do what I do. You know, it whether it's woodworking, welding, small engines, electricity, horticulture, animal science, whatever it might be, it's like they find their niche, they find their calling, they find and it gives them that direction that for me was like an eye-opening experience. And I'm like, hey, this is awesome. Let's get it, you know, and point them in that direction where they can then be successful. So I love it.

SPEAKER_02 8:03

So you are kind of like me. Uh you've enjoyed going to work every day. It's been a pleasure.

SPEAKER_00 8:10

That's what I you know. I see people that call work, you know, they I gotta go to work Monday, you know, and it's like, man, if I didn't enjoy what I did, I'd do something else. That's right. There's so many options. Find it. Find it. So I love it. And Henderson County, the school system is a great place to work. Uh, we have some great administration, especially upper administration, and even at my school level, but they're so good to work for, they're understanding. It's a great place to work.

SPEAKER_02 8:37

Well, I I've uh I I've found that out from afar, and you and I know we've we've had so many teachers, administrators, uh people in the Henderson County school system in this room, and we've been amazed.

Why Henderson County Schools Shine

SPEAKER_01 8:51

It's remarkable actually when people so we work with people all the time that are relocating here, and they're asked their first question with families is tell us about the school systems. And and this truly one of the best counties in the state uh for public schools. And I think at one point it was ranked number five in the state, but I mean it it and they say which schools? I'm like, they're all good. I mean, like Henderson County schools are amazing, and and it's a truly an asset for community again, especially with families moving here to the area.

SPEAKER_00 9:20

Absolutely. I when I first took the job up here, I spoke with the assistant superintendent Scott Rhodes, and he was like, Matt, this is a special place. And I was I didn't understand what he was saying. But after being in the environment, it truly is a special place, not just because of the school system, but because of the community and the students involved, it's a great place to work.

SPEAKER_01 9:40

Are there any stories that stand out in your career uh that that that you'd like to share?

The Student Story He Never Forgets

SPEAKER_00 9:45

I mean, like you could be here a while. There's you know, one student that comes to my mind in particular that I'll never forget. I got to a school, just started teaching first year, and they're like, You got the worst kids in the school in your class. And I'm like, Well, that's a blessing, you know. Well, this young man in particular had been kicked out of school the year prior, and blah, you know, one thing after another. He gained that career direction when he was in my class. And I the boy, you have to know how to work your students. You know, you have to know how to communicate with them to where you can get the most out of them. And it I did with him, and now he's successful, and he's got a family, and he's got a business, and I still speak to him weekly, and it's cool to see the kids. I love it, man. It it brings me joy to see a kid go forth and be successful in a career.

SPEAKER_01 10:37

And find their way and find their path. Absolutely. I love it. And it's usually and again, you you spoke to your I mean, we all have that teacher we look back uh to oh yeah. That we remember, and you had that one for you.

SPEAKER_00 10:48

Oh, he was the best, man. He was the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. And I respect and appreciate him so much, and he's still a part of my life, and he actually comes up here and helps with our program still. Uh, and I love him.

SPEAKER_01 11:02

So that's amazing.

SPEAKER_02 11:03

I was gonna ask if you ever have uh some of the former students come back and speak to the current class and tell them what how this changed their life.

SPEAKER_00 11:11

The culture within an agriculture program and that FFA organization is pretty unique in that the relationships there to form between students, but not only between students, between teachers and students are really special. Uh and most people, if they ever had an ag class, you can always ask them, you know, who was your ag teacher? Mr.

SPEAKER_02 11:30

Jack Cole.

SPEAKER_00 11:31

There you go. It's just right. You remember him very specifically. If it was the smell of his pipe tobacco, or if it was, you know, what he taught you in the greenhouse or in the uh pasture, whatever it was, it's priceless. Priceless. I love it.

SPEAKER_02 11:46

I mean, even uh, you know, I grew I went to high school on an island in a river in Marshall, North Carolina, and I got into some kind of trouble. I can't remember in Mr. Cole's class, but my punishment from him was to carry a five-gallon bucket of water from one side of that island to the other for the whole class. And they all waved at me as I went by each time with that bucket of water.

SPEAKER_00 12:10

They gotta love it.

SPEAKER_02 12:11

Look at you now. Life changing event. I want to sit somewhere in an air-conditioned studio because I don't want to work like this.

SPEAKER_00 12:24

The kids look forward to the work. Um we work a lot, you know. We do work hard. We have three greenhouses, we have pastures and barns and field crops and shops, and we re-uh redo tractors and we do all kinds of really cool stuff. So the environmental change when they come into my class, I think it's what they look forward to most. It's to break the monotony of the English, math, science, social studies, which are great, but it's to get them up and out of their seat and engage their hands and get them to work. And they love it. You know, I rarely do I have a kid that doesn't want to engage in learning and be involved. And so it's great to see them.

SPEAKER_01 13:00

That's amazing. Speaking of greenhouses, right?

SPEAKER_00 13:03

Sale. Yeah, plants.

SPEAKER_01 13:05

You brought in some spectacular flowers this morning. Thank you so much.

Plant Sale Details And Community Support

SPEAKER_00 13:09

The students do an excellent job of growing uh quite a variety of plants. So we grow flowers and vegetables, a lot of hanging baskets. But our big plant sale is this coming Saturday, May 2nd, from 8 until whenever we sell out, is what I usually say. So I would love to see as many people show up and support these students and how hard they're working. It's at East Henderson High School. It's around the back side of the school. You can't miss three giant greenhouses, and they're all slam full of plants that need to get out in this community. The good thing is uh our students have produced them all, and uh the money comes right back to us to where we're able to provide more opportunities for these kids. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 13:47

That's amazing.

SPEAKER_02 13:47

Gosh, man, I I understand why they picked you. I understand why they picked you. I want to come to your class. I really do.

SPEAKER_00 13:55

Please do.

SPEAKER_02 13:56

Uh Matthew Rollins, agriculture teacher at East Henderson High School and a winner recently of the district's career in technical education teacher of the year. Uh, how long are you going to keep doing this, Matthew?

SPEAKER_00 14:10

Uh, until it's not enjoyable. Yeah. You know, just like we were speaking earlier, I love what I do. When I don't love what I do, I'll find something else. And I look at some of these ag teachers that have been teaching for 30, 40 years, and I'm like, as long as I love it, I'll keep doing it. And right now I really enjoy what I do, and I'm thankful for it.

SPEAKER_02 14:28

Tell us about family, real quick.

SPEAKER_00 14:30

Absolutely. I have a wife and two children, uh, two little girls, and they're not little anymore, I guess. One's uh 15 and the other's 13, and uh they're great kids that both of them show livestock and they're involved in agriculture and they love it. One of them wants to be a vet, and the other one's thinking about being a school teacher, and so it's great. My wife and I have been married forever, it feels like, and uh it's a blessing. I love her. She and I were like high school sweethearts, and so she is actually a CPA uh and a CFO for a real estate company like Noah and I were talking about before down in Greenville.

How To Listen And Get Help

SPEAKER_02 15:06

So gosh, we're so glad to have you as a part of our community. Well, thank you. We really are, Matthew. Uh, thank you so much for being here with us. And we have a certificate Noah has for you. Thank you. And a couple of uh freebies uh around lunch in uh Hendersonville. But we again thank you so much for being with us on the George Real Estate Group Hometown Hero Series. Noah, about 15 seconds, get us out of here.

SPEAKER_01 15:30

Again, so thankful to be here. By the way, we podcast all of our radio shows. You can find this on your favorite podcast platform, but grateful to sponsor the Hometown Hero Series. And again, if we can help you in any way, give us a call.

SPEAKER_02 15:41

Next week, join us at 845 for the George Real Estate Group Hometown Hero. The George Real Estate Group is located in Flat Rock, North Carolina, near Hendersonville in Henderson County. You can find them online at realestatebygreg.com. The George Real Estate Group can be reached at 828-3930134 or stop by their office at 2720 Greenville Highway, Flat Rock, North Carolina. Tune in live each week on Thursdays at 1005 a.m. on WHKP 107.7 FM and 1450 AM, or stream online at WHKP.com, or download these podcasts wherever you get your podcasts. The George Real Estate Group brings you the WHKP Hometown Hero Series every Friday morning at 8.45.

SPEAKER_01 16:34

Maybe the house feels a little too big these days. The stairs a little steeper. The pace of life a little too fast. But what if your next move wasn't about letting go? It was about making space. For peace, for freedom, for what matters most. At the George Real Estate Group, we understand that real estate isn't just about the house. It's about transitions, timing, and trust. We've helped thousands of families in Western North Carolina make smart, thoughtful moves. Closer to nature, closer to family, closer to home. So when you're ready to write size, simplify, or start fresh, we'll be here. The George Real Estate Group. Local, trusted, proven. Call us today, 828-393-0134. Find us online at realestatebygreg.com because your next chapter deserves to feel just right.